CBB Review: Jesus Christ and The Virgin Mary in Art

Art can touch a person deep in their soul stirring up many emotions as they admire the work of the artist before them. Art can conjure up contemplative thought that can change a person’s life. Patrick Flanagan has assembled some of the most beautiful religious pieces in his new book Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary in Art: A Visual Prayer Book and Art Anthology. The art contained within this impressive volume will certainly spark and aid in your daily prayer life.

The book contains 280 full color paintings by 36 renowned artists. You will find works by Franz von Stuck, Raphael, Giovanni Bellini, Leonardo da Vinci, and Sandra Botticelli. Each of the artists is introduced with a brief one to two page biography. What follows that biography is nothing short of breathtaking. The paintings chosen for inclusion in this book cover some six hundred years of art history. There is Duccio’s Madonna and Child 1300, El Greco’s The Holy Trinity 1577, Matthias Grunewald’s The Crucifixion 1524, Guido Reni’s Ecce Home 1639, da Vinci’s The Last Supper 1495, and Franz von Stuck’s The Crucifixion 1913. These are merely a sampling of what is included in the book. What follows is a complete list of artists included:

El Greco 1594-1614, Rogier van der Wyden 1399-1464, Duccio 1255-1319, Franz von Stuck 1863-1928, Dirk Bouts 1415-1475, Alonso Cano 1601-1667, Matthias Grunewald 1470-1528, Caravaggio 1571-1610, Guido Reno 1575-1642, Raphael 1483-1520, Grotto 1266-1337, Nikolai Ge 1831-1894, Anthony van Dyck 1599-1641, Antonio Allegro da Correggio 1494-1534,Bartolome Esteban Murillo 1618 – 1682, Giovanni Bellini 1430 – 1516, Annibale Carracci 1560 – 1609, Heironymous Bosch 1450 – 1516, Limbourg Brothers 1385 – 1416, Maerten van Hemmsherck 1498 – 1574, Albrecht Durer 1471 – 1528, Lucas Cranach the Elder 1472 – 1553, Lorenzo Lotto 1480 – 1556, Jan Sanders van Hemessen 1500 – 1566, Leonardo da Vinci 1452 – 1519, Fra Angelico 1395 – 1455, Michelangelo 1475 – 1564, Peter Paul Ruebens 1577 – 1640, Gerard Davis 1460 – 1523, Paolo Veronese 1528 – 1588, Agnolo Bronzino 1503 – 1572, Jacob Jordaens 1593 – 1678, Sandro Botticelli 1445 – 1510, Hans Holbien the Younger 1497 – 1543, Robert Campin 1375 – 1444, and finally Rembrandt 1606 – 1669.

When Patrick Flanagan first told me about this project my initial reaction was that I thought this was going to make a great “coffee table” book. Having the finished product in my hand I can say that it is so much more. It certainly does have some of the most beautiful spiritual paintings known to man…but the written word accompanying them is exceptional as well. You can tell a lot of time and care were put into this book in the painting selections and the biographical introductions included with each artists paintings. Simply put this is not just a book of paintings. What takes this volume to the next level are the Scripture verses and meditations that accompany each and every painting. This book will likely become a prayer companion for many.

In closing this book is an ideal resource for individual use during prayer time as it was intended but it is also so much more. Homeschoolers and parochial schools alike should have this book on their shelves for the educational value contained within. No matter what the use is the reader will surely reap the reward of this obvious labor of love.

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