standard scenes from the life of christ in art

7/23/2019 Standard Scenes From the Life of Christ in Art

1/11

Standard scenes from the life of Christin art

Hide tutorial navigation

Fra Angelico, The Annunciation, c. 1438-47, fresco, 230 x 321 cm (Convent of San arco, Florence!

The Annunciation: The angel Gabriel visits Mary to announce to her that

she will be the mother of God. At this moment, Jesus Christ miraculously

conceived, and God is made flesh and blood.

The Visitation: Mary and Elizabeth, who are cousins, meet. Mary is

pregnant with Jesus and Elizabeth is pregnant with St. John the Baptist.

Elizabeth (and her son in her womb) recognize the miracle of Christ in Marys

womb.


2/11

"#ccio, The Nativity with the Prophets Isaiah and Ezekial, 1308-11 ($ational %aller& of Art,

'asington, ".C.!

The Nativity:Mary gave birth to Christ in a stable while the animals

watched. In works of art, Joseph, Marys husband, often sits off to the side

and sleeps.


3/11

issal of )*erar+ von

%reiffenla#,Adoration of the Magi, 'alters an#scrit '.174, fol. 1v +etail (/e 'alters Art

#se#m!

Adoration of the Magi:Three Magi (by tradition, kings from the East),

follow a miraculous star that leads them to Christ, who has just been born in a

stable. The Magi offer gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (both are

aromatic tree resins), and worship the infant Christ.

The Presentation: Mary and Joseph present Christ in the temple at

Jerusalem. They encounter Simeon, who was told by the Holy Spirit that hewould not die until he had seen the messiah.


4/11

"#ccio, The Temptation of Christ on the Mountain, 1308-11, temera on olar anel, 17 x 18 18

inces 43.2 x 4 cm (/e Fric Collection!

The Temptation: Satan visited Christ during his 40 day fast in the

wilderness and tempted him to use his powers. In the third and final

temptation, Satan asked Christ to worship him, which Christ refused to do.


5/11

The ealing of the !lind Man and the "aising of #azarus, 1120-40, fresco, ma+e in Castile-en,

Sain, x 134 inces 1.1 x 340.4 cm (/e etroolitan #se#m of Art!

The Raising of Laarus: This was one of the many miracles Christ

performed that are recorded in the Gospels. Christ was friends with Mary,

Martha, and Lazarus, who were siblings. Lazarus became ill and his sisters

sent to Christ for help. Lazarus died and was in the grave for four days before

Christ raised him from the dead by calling him out of his tomb.


6/11

%iotto, T

he Entry of Christ into $erusalem, c. 130, fresco, 200 x 18 cm (Arena Cael, 5a+#a!

!ntry into "erusalem:Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, where he

was greeted by crowds of people. These crowds laid down their cloaks for him

and waved palm branches at him, welcoming him into Jerusalem as their

leader.

The Last Supper: Christ ate dinner with his apostles and encouraged

them to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of him. He also told the

apostles that one of them would betray him.Agony in the #arden: After the Last Supper, Christ went to pray in the

Garden of Gethsemane with his apostles. He asked them to wait and pray

with him, but they fell asleep. Jesus prayed alone and bled from every pore.


7/11

The %iss of $udas, earl& 1t cent#r&, in an+ igments on arcment (/e 'alters Art #se#m!

$iss of "udas: Judas, who has been paid 30 pieces of silver to betray

Christs whereabouts to the Roman authorities, leads them to him, and

identifies him with a kiss (or an embrace). Christ is arrested by the Romans.

Christ %efore Pilate:Roman soldiers take Christ to Pilate, the Roman

prefect. Pilate tries Jesus, but does not find him guilty. Pilate tells the angry

crowd that he will release one prisoner, but they do not choose Jesus. Pilate

orders Christ to be whipped and crucified.


8/11

Single leaf an+ fragment 6it

Cr#cifixion an+ coloon, Cr#cifixion, 'alters an#scrit '.732, fol. '.732Ar (/e 'alters Art

#se#m!

The Cruci&'ion:Christ is crucified at Golgotha as his mother Mary and the

apostle John watch. Jesus is offered vinegar and soon dies. He is stabbed

with a lance after his death. Pilate gives Joseph of Arimathea permission to

take the body of Christ off the cross. Joseph places the body in a tomb and

rolls a large stone over the door. Pilate orders guards to watch the tomb.


9/11

oo of o#rs, "eosition, 'alters

an#scrit '.24, fol. 2v (/e 'alters Art #se#m!(escent from the Cross )also

*no+n as The (eposition,:Christs body is taken down from the cross

by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. They bring a shroud for the body.

Other figures often included in representations of this scene are the Virgin

Mary, St. John the Evangelist and the three Marys (three women mentioned in

the Gospels as followers of Christ, all named Mary but not including the Virgin

Mary, Jesus mother).

The Marys at the Tom%: In one tradition, the three Marys were Mary

Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Mary Salome, in another, they

were the three daughters of St. Anne. They went to the tomb to wash and

anoint the body of Christ, but when they got there, the large stone was rolled

away from the door. An angel tells the Marys that Christ is not there.

Throughout the Middle Ages, this scene signalled the Resurrection of Christ.


10/11

omilar&, The

"esurrection, 'alters an#scrit '.148, fol. 23v (/e 'alters Art #se#m!

The Resurrection:Christ emerges triumphant from the tomb and carries

the banner of the resurrection, a white flag with a red cross. This scene was

first developed in Early Renaissance art.

Noli me Tangere: Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to mourn Christ. She

finds Christ, but initially mistakes him for the gardener. When Mary realizes

that he is Christ, he says Touch me not or noli me tangere in Latin.

The Ascension-Pentecost: After forty days with his followers, Christ

ascends into heaven. As he does this, the Holy Spirit descends on them, an

event known as Pentecost.

Last "udgment:Christ is often represented in art as judge at the end of

time. These scenes often show Christ enthroned in heaven surrounded by

apostles and angels, who help him judge the souls of humankind. Good


11/11

Christians go to heaven, a beautiful orderly place, and the damned go to hell

where they are tormented for eternity.

By Dr. Nancy Ross

standard scenes from the life of christ in art

Documents