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Buddhism
The Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of the Sakya tribe of Nepal, in approximately 566 BC. When he was twentynine years old, he left the comforts of his home to seek the meaning of the suffering he saw around him. After six years of arduous yogic training,he abandoned the way of self-mortification and instead sat in mindful meditation beneath a bodhi tree. On the full moon of May, with the rising of the morning star, Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha, the enlightened one. The Buddha wandered the plains of northeastern India for 45 years more, teaching the path or Dharma he had realized in that moment. Around him developed a community or Sangha of monks and, later, nuns, drawn from every tribe and caste, devoted to practicing this path. In approximately 486 BC, at the age of 80, the Buddha died. His last words are said to be... Impermanent are all created things; Strive on with awareness.

Art and Religion

The Buddha's World

Aniconic phase (5th century - 1st century BCE)

Footprint of the Buddha. 1st century, Gandhara.

Iconic phase (1st century CE present)

Northern Buddhist Art

Afghanistan Central Asia India,Persia China Korea Japan Tibet and Bhutan Vietnam

Representation of the Buddha in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara, 1st century CE.

Greco-Buddhist head of Buddha, stucco, Hadda Afghanistan, 1st-2nd century CE.

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Afghanistan

Lunette with Buddha surrounded by adorants, 5th6th century Hadda, Afghanistan

Statue from a Buddhist monastery, 700 CE, Afghanistan

Central Asia India,Persia

Serindian art, 6th-7th century terracotta, Tumshuq (Xinjiang).

Birth of the Buddha, Kushan period Pakistan

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The Dream of Queen Maya, Kushan period, 1st century A.D. Pakistan

The Great Departure and the Temptation of the Buddha, Ikshvaku period, ca. first half of 3rd century India

The Death of the Buddha, Kushan period, 3rd century Pakistan

Buddha's First Sermon at Sarnath, Kushan Period, ca. 3rd century Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)

Buddha's Descent from the Trayastrimsha Heaven, Ikshvaku period (3rd4th century), second half of 3rd century India

Fasting Siddhartha, Kushan period, ca. 3rd century Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara)

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Model of a stupa (Buddhist shrine), ca. 4th century Pakistan, ancient region of Gandhara

Plaque with scenes from the life of the Buddha, Pala or Pagan period, 12th century India or Burma

Reliquary (?) with scenes from the life of the Buddha, ca. 10th century India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) or Pakistan

Standing Buddha, Gupta period (ca. 321500), 5th century Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Buddha, Gupta period, second half of 6th century India (probably Bihar)

Seated Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion, Anuradhapura period, ca. late 7thfirst half of 8th century Sri Lanka

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China

A Chinese Northern Wei Buddha Maitreya, 443 CE.

Seated Buddha, Tang dynasty (618907), early 8th century

One of the first known Chinese Buddha sculptures, found in a late Han dynasty burial in Sichuan province. Circa 200 CE. The hair, the moustache, the robe indicate heavy influence of Gandharan styles.

Standing Buddha, Northern Wei dynasty (386534), mid-5th century Seated Buddha, Tang dynasty (618 906), ca. 650 China Dry lacquer with traces of gilt and polychrome pigments; 38 x 27 in. (96.5 x 68.6 cm) Rogers Fund, 1919 (19.186)

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Yungang

Tang Bodhisattva.

Maitreya altarpiece, 5th year of the Zhengguang era, dated 524; Northern Wei dynasty (386534) Hebei Province, China

Korea

Portrait of the Chinese Zen Buddhist Wuzhun Shifan, painted in 1238 AD, Song Dynasty.

Pensive Bodhisattva, Three Kingdoms period - Korea

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Bangasayusang, semi-seated contemplative Maitreya probably from Silla circa early 7th century.

Standing Buddha, Unified Silla dynasty (668935), 8th century - Korea

Illustrated manuscript of the Lotus Sutra, Kory dynasty (9181392), ca. 1340 Unidentified artist (late 14th century) Korea Folding book, gold and silver on indigo-dyed mulberry paper

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Japan

-Lotus Sutra, Heian period (7941185), 12th century Japan

The Goryeo era Gyeongcheonsa Pagoda sits on the first floor of the National Museum of Korea.

Death of the Historical Buddha (Nehan), Kamakura period (11851333), 14th century Unidentified artist Kyoto, Japan The Birth of the Buddha, Muromachi period (13921573), ca. 1400 Unidentified artist - Japan

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The Great Buddha in Kamakura (1252) - Japan

Zen Buddhism
The essential element of Zen Buddhism is found in its name, for Zen means "meditation." Zen teaches that enlightenment is achieved through the profound realization that one is already an enlightened being. This awakening can happen gradually or in a flash of insight (as emphasized by the Soto and Rinzai schools, respectively). But in either case, it is the result of one's own efforts. Deities and scriptures can offer only limited assistance.

Scroll calligraphy of Bodhidharma Zen points directly to the human heart, see into your nature and become Buddha, by Hakuin Ekaku (1686 to 1769)

Zen traces its origins to India, but it was formalized in China. Chan, as it is known in China, was transmitted to Japan and took root there in the thirteenth century. Chan was enthusiastically received in Japan, especially by the samurai class that wielded political power at this time, and it became the most prominent form of Buddhism between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries. The immigrant Chinese prelates were educated men, who introduced not only religious practices but also Chinese literature, calligraphy, philosophy, and ink painting to their Japanese disciples, who often in turn traveled to China for further study

Today, ink monochrome painting is the art form most closely associated with Zen Buddhism. In general, the first Japanese artists to work in this medium were Zen monks who painted in a quick and evocative manner to express their religious views and personal convictions. Their preferred subjects were Zen patriarchs, teachers, and enlightened individuals. In time, however, artists moved on to secular themes such as bamboo, flowering plums, orchids, and birds, which in China were endowed with scholarly symbolism. The range of subject matter eventually broadened to include literary figures and landscapes, and the painting styles often became more important than personal expression.

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Zen Buddhism's emphasis on simplicity and the importance of the natural world generated a distinctive aesthetic, which is expressed by the terms wabi and sabi. These two amorphous concepts are used to express a sense of rusticity, melancholy, loneliness, naturalness, and age, so that a misshapen, worn peasant's jar is considered more beautiful than a pristine, carefully crafted dish. While the latter pleases the senses, the former stimulates the mind and emotions to contemplate the essence of reality. This artistic sensibility has had an enormous impact on Japanese culture up to modern times.

Orchids and Rocks, Muromachi period (1392 1573) Gyokuen Bompo (Japanese, 1348after 1420) Japan Hanging scroll; ink on paper;

Su Dongpo in Straw Hat and Wooden Shoes, Muromachi period (1392 1573), second half of 15th century Artist Unknown Japan Hanging scroll; ink on paper

Landscape of the Four Seasons, Muromachi period (13921573), early 16th century Kangaku Shinso (Soami) (Japanese, died 1525)
Gibbons, Muromachi period (13921573) Attributed to Sesson Shukei (Japanese, 15041589?) Japan

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Portrait sculpture of a Zen priest, Muromachi period (1392 1573), 14th15th century Japan Lacquered wood

Tibet and Bhutan

Buddhism was introduced to Tibet by the seventh century and was proclaimed the state religion by the end of the eighth century. Although Buddhist influence waned during persecutions between 838 and 942, the religion saw a revival beginning in the late tenth century. It rapidly became dominant, inaugurating what is known as the "later diffusion of the Buddhist faith." During the first few hundred years of this renewed interest, many monks from Tibet traveled abroad to India (The Great Teacher Marpa, 1995.176), the homeland of Buddhism, to study the religion, and Indian scholars were invited to Tibet to lecture and give teachings (Portrait of Atisha, 1993.479). Although Tibet's vast geographic area and its many adjacent neighborsIndia and Kashmir, Nepal, the northern regions of Burma (Myanmar), China, and Central Asia (Khotan)are reflected in the rich stylistic diversity of Tibetan Buddhist art, during the late eleventh and early twelfth century, Pala India became the main source of artistic influence. In the thirteenth century and thereafter, Nepalese artists were also commissioned to paint thankas and make sculptures for Tibetan patrons. By the fourteenth century, stylistic influences from Nepal and China became dominant and in the fifteenth century these fused into a truly Tibetan synthesis.

Although numerous monks were artists, there were also lay artists who traveled from monastery to monastery and, with a few exceptions, it is difficult to assign a particular style to a monastery or sect. Most artists were anonymous and rarely signed their works, although names have survived in texts, in murals on monastery walls, and on some thankas and bronzes. In addition to Tibetan artists, the names of Indian, Nepalese, Central Asian, and Chinese artists were recorded.

Many sculptures and paintings were made as aids for Buddhist meditation. The physical image became a base to support or encourage the presence of the divinity portrayed in the mind of the worshipper. Images were also commissioned for any number of reasons, including celebrating a birth, commemorating a death, and encouraging wealth, good health, or longevity. Buddhists believe that commissioning an image brings merit for the donor as well as to all conscious beings. Images in temples and in household shrines also remind lay people that they too can achieve enlightenment.

Portrait of a lama, last quarter of 11th century Tibet (a Kadampa monastery) Distemper on cloth

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Portrait of Atisha, ca. 1100 Tibet (a Kadampa monastery) Distemper on cloth

The Great Teacher Marpa, early 12th century Tibet

Portrait of Jnanatapa surrounded by lamas and mahasiddhas, ca. 1350 Tibet, Riwoche Monastery

Portrait of an abbot, ca. 1350 Tibet (a Kagyu monastery)

Seated arhat (Buddhist saint), 14th century Tibet Stone with color

Illuminated pages from a dispersed Dharani manuscript, 14th15th century Tibet (Zhalu monastery) Inks and color on paper

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Illuminated pages from a dispersed Dharani manuscript, 14th15th century Tibet (Zhalu monastery)

Mandala of Jnanadakini ,late 14th century Tibet (a Sakya monastery)

Mandala of Jnanadakini ,late 14th century Tibet (a Sakya monastery) Distemper on cloth

Panjara Mahakala, late 14thearly 15th century Tibet Steatite with color and gilding

Vietnam
Chinese influence was predominant in the north of Vietnam (Tonkin) between the 1st and 9th centuries, and Confucianism and Mahayana Buddhism were prevalent. Overall, the art of Vietnam has been strongly influenced by Chinese Buddhist art. In the south, the kingdom of Champa has a strongly Indianized art, just as neighboring Cambodia. Many of its statues were characterized by rich body adornments. The capital of the kingdom of Champa was annexed by Vietnam in 1471, and it totally collapsed in the 1720s.

Yama, mid-17thearly 18th century Tibet - Distemper on cloth

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Southern Buddhist Art Myanmar Cambodia Thailand Indonesia

19th century Lacquered wood

Cambodia
Cambodia was the center of the Funan kingdom, which expanded into Burma and as far south as Malaysia between the 3rd and 6th centuries CE. Its influence seems to have been essentially political, most of the cultural influence coming directly from India. Later, from the 9th to 13th centuries, the Mahayana Buddhist and Hindu Khmer Empire dominated vast parts of the Southeast Asian peninsula, and its influence was foremost in the development of Buddhist art in the region. Under the Khmer, more than 900 temples were built in Cambodia and in neighboring Thailand. Angkor was at the center of this development, with a Buddhist temple complex and urban organization able to support around 1 million urban dwellers. A great deal of Cambodian Buddhist sculpture is preserved at Angkor; however, organized looting has had a heavy impact on many sites around the country. Often, Khmer art manages to express intense spirituality through divinely beaming expressions, in spite of spare features and slender lines.

A Cambodian Buddha, 14th century

Bodhisattva Lokesvara, Cambodia 12th century.

Head of a Buddha, second half of 6th century Angkor Borei, Cambodia

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Thailand
From the 1st to the 7th centuries, Buddhist art in Thailand was first influenced by direct contact with Indian traders and the expansion of the Mon kingdom, leading to the creation of Hindu and Buddhist art inspired from the Gupta tradition, with numerous monumental statues of great virtuosity.

Troy - Buddhism - Buddha sheltered by a naga, Angkor period, 12th century

From the 9th century, the various schools of Thai art then became strongly influenced by Cambodian Khmer art in the north and Sri Vijaya art in the south, both of Mahayana faith. Up to the end of that period, Buddhist art is characterized by a clear fluidness in the expression, and the subject matter is characteristic of the Mahayana pantheon with multiple creations of Bodhisattvas.

From the 13th century, Theravada Buddhism was introduced from Sri Lanka around the same time as the ethnic Thai kingdom of Sukhothai was established. The new faith inspired highly stylized images in Thai Buddhism, with sometimes very geometrical and almost abstract figures. During the Ayutthaya period (14th-18th centuries), the Buddha came to be represented in a more stylistic manner with sumptuous garments and jeweled ornamentations. Many Thai sculptures or temples tended to be gilded, and on occasion enriched with inlays.

Wat Phra Sri Ratanamahatat. Phitsanulok, Thailand

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Indonesia
Like the rest of Southeast Asia, Indonesia seems to have been most strongly influenced by India from the 1st century CE. The islands of Sumatra and Java in western Indonesia were the seat of the empire of Sri Vijaya (8th13th century CE), which came to dominate most of the area around the Southeast Asian peninsula through maritime power. The Sri Vijayan Empire had adopted Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, under a line of rulers named the Sailendras. Sri Vijaya spread Mahayana Buddhist art during its expansion into the Southeast Asian peninsula. Numerous statues of Mahayana Bodhisattvas from this period are characterized by a very strong refinement and technical sophistication, and are found throughout the region.

Extremely rich and refined architectural remains are can be found in Java and Sumatra. The most magnificence is the temple of Borobudur (the largest Buddhist structure in the world, built from around 780-850 AD). This temple modeled after Buddhist concept of universe, the Mandala which counts 505 images of the seated Buddha and unique bell-shaped stupa that contains the statue of Buddha. Borobudur is adorned with long series of basreliefs narrated the holy Buddhist scriptures. The oldest Buddhist structure in Indonesia probably is the Batu Jaya stupas at Karawang, West Java, dated from around 4th century AD. This temple is some plastered brick stupas. However, Buddhist art in Indonesia reach the golden era during the Sailendra dynasty rule in Java. The bas-reliefs and statues of Boddhisatva, Tara, and Kinnara found in Kalasan, Sewu, Sari, and Plaosan temple is very graceful with serene expression, While Mendut temple near Borobudur, houses the giant statue of Buddha, Avalokitesvara, and Vajrapani.

In Sumatra Sri Vijaya probably built the temple of Muara Takus, and Muaro Jambi. The most beautiful classical Javanese art is the serene and delicate statue of Prajnaparamita (the collection of National Museum Jakarta) the goddess of transcendental wisdom from Singhasari. The Indonesian Buddhist Empire of Sri Vijaya declined due to conflicts with the Chola rulers of India, then followed by Majapahit empire, before being destabilized by the Islamic expansion from the 13th century.

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A Buddha in Borobudur.

A detailed carved relief stone from Borobudur.

Hinduism and Hindu Art

The statue of Prajpramit from Singhasari, East Java.

According to the Hindu view, there are four goals of life on earth kma: Sensual pleasure and enjoyment Artha: Material prosperity and success Dharma: Correct action, in accordance with one's particular duty and scriptural laws Moksha: Liberation from the cycle of samsara

This holistic view is reflected as well as in the artistic production of India. Although a Hindu temple is dedicated to the glory of a deity and is aimed at helping the devotee toward moksha, its walls might justifiably contain sculptures that reflect the other three goals of life. It is in such a context that we may best understand the many sensuous and apparently secular themes that decorate the walls of Indian temples.

Hinduism is a religion that had no single founder, no single spokesman, no single prophet. Its origins are mixed and complex. One strand can be traced back to the sacred Sanskrit literature of the Aryans, the Vedas, which consist of hymns in praise of deities who were often personifications of the natural elements. Another strand drew on the beliefs prevalent among groups of indigenous peoples, especially the faith in the power of the mother goddess and in the efficacy of fertility symbols. Hinduism, in the form comparable to its present-day expression, emerged at about the start of the Christian era, with an emphasis on the supremacy of the god Vishnu, the god Shiva, and the goddess Shakti (literally, "Power").

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The pluralism evident in Hinduism, as well as its acceptance of the existence of several deities, is often puzzling to non-Hindus. Hindus suggest that one may view the Infinite as a diamond of innumerable facets. One or another facetbe it Rama, Krishna, or Ganeshamay beckon an individual believer with irresistible magnetism. By acknowledging the power of an individual facet and worshipping it, the believer does not thereby deny the existence of many aspects of the Infinite and of varied paths toward the ultimate goal.

Krishna battling the horse demon Keshi, Gupta period (ca. 321500), 5th century Uttar Pradesh, India

Vishnu as Para VasudevaNarayana, last quarter of 8th century India (Jammu and Kashmir, ancient kingdom of Kashmir) Stone

Linga with one face (Ekamukhalinga), Shahi period, 9th century Afghanistan

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja), Chola period (ca. 860 1279), ca. 11th century Tamil Nadu, India

The Goddess Durga Killing the Buffalo Demon, Mahisha (Mahishasuramardini), Pala period (ca. 700 1200), 12th century Bangladesh or India Argillite

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Loving couple (mithuna), Eastern Ganga dynasty, 13th century Orissa, India Ferruginous stone

The Goddess Durga as Slayer of the BuffaloDemon Mahisha (Mahishasura mardini), 14th15th century Nepal

Dancing four-armed Ganesha, 16th17th century Nepal

Troy - Hinduism - Shiva seated with Uma (UmaMaheshvaramu rti), 11th century

Standing Vishnu, 10th century Nepal

Shiva as Nataraja, Freer Gallery, Washington D.C

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Christian art
Christian art is a term that covers all visual works produced in an attempt to illustrate, supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity. Virtually all Christian groupings use or have used art to some extent. However the prominence of art and the media, style, and representations change; however, the unifying theme is ultimately the representation of the life and times of Jesus Christ and in some cases the Old Testament. Depictions of saints are also common, especially in Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy.

Beginnings

Christian art is nearly as old as Christianity, and the first preserved Christian images emerge from about 70 AD, as recorded in the archeological findings at the church in Megiddo. This early proliferation of images, although not fully perserved, leaves us with archaological records regarding early Christianity and its evolution.

Christ Jesus,[1] the Good Shepherd, 2nd century.

Post-Roman period

Virgin and Child. Wall painting from the early catacombs, Rome, 4th century. Triptych of the Virgin and Child with Saints - painting in the National Art Gallery of Australia

Symbolism
Jesus : the central individual in Christianity : Images of Jesus The Christian cross: represents the life, death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as human salvation because of His sacrifice

The Last Supper Leonardo Da Vinci (1498)

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Images of Jesus

A painting of Jesus in private chapel of the pope in the Vatican, which is claimed to be the ancient "Image of Edessa".

A representation of Jesus as the sun-god Helios/Sol Invictus riding in his chariot. Mosaic of the 3rd century on the Vatican grottoes under St. Peter's Basilica.

Mural painting from the catacomb of Commodilla. One of the first bearded images of Jesus, late 4th century.

The Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John, ca. 1625

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Jesus depicted on an early 8th-century Byzantine coin. After the Byzantine iconoclasm all coins had Christ on them.

11th-century Christ Pantocrator with the halo in a cross form, used throughout the Middle Ages. Characteristically, he is portrayed as similar in features and skin tone to the culture of the artist.

Christ in majesty from an illuminated manuscript, 12th century.

An unusual image of Jesus as a medieval knight bearing an attributed coat of arms based on the Veil of Veronica

Christ as Man of Sorrows by Andrea Mantegna

Christ Carrying the Cross, 1580, by El Greco

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An traditional Ethiopian depiction of Jesus and Mary with distinctively "Ethiopian" features.

A Chinese depiction of Jesus and the rich man, from Mark chapter 10.

Christ Giving the Keys to Peter, ca. 1315

Book Cover with Byzantine Icon of the Crucifixion, Spanish

Byzantine - Greek

The Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro is the largest statue of Jesus ever made.

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Statue at Santuario di Oropa, Italy

4 ton bronze statue of Jesus placed high in the Andes mountains, on a road between Chile and Argentina.

The Christian cross: represents the life, death,

and the resurrection of Jesus Christ as well as human salvation because of His sacrifice

Bertel Thorvaldsen's Christus, Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen

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Themes
Themes often seen in Christian art are: Adoration of the Magi Adoration of the shepherds Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Art Angels in art Crucifix Descent from the Cross The Last Supper Madonna and Child Piet The Raising of the Cross

Adoration of the Magi

The Adoration of the Magi is the name traditionally given to a Christian religious scene in which the three Magi, often represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by following a star, lay before him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh: in the church calendar, this event is commemorated as the Feast of the Epiphany. Christian iconography has considerably expanded the bare account of the Biblical Magi given in the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew (2:1-11) and used it to press the point that Jesus was recognized, from his earliest infancy, as king of the earth.

4th century Sarcophagus, Vatican

Dirk Bouts 15th century

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Adoration of the Magi (Detail), ca. 1390

Adoration of the Magi by Bartolom Estban Murillo

Adoration of the shepherds

The Adoration of the shepherds, in Christian iconography, is a scene in which shepherds are near witnesses to the birth of Jesus, at his birthplace, typically depicted as a barn, near Bethlehem.

Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Art

Angels in art

Leonardo da Vinci. The Annunciation

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The Virgin With Angels

Giotto.mourning

Crucifix
A crucifix (from Latin cruciare meaning "to torture") is a cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus. It is a principal symbol of the Christian religion. It is primarily used in the Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox Churches and emphasizes Christ's sacrifice his death by crucifixion.

The Crucifix, a cross with corpus, a symbol used in Anglicanism and Catholicism in contrast with some Protestant sects, which use only a cross.

A crucifix amidst the cornfields near Mureck in rural Styria, Austria

crucifix in front of the Holy Spirit Church in Koice, Slovakia

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Descent from the Cross The Descent from the Cross or Deposition, is the scene, as depicted in art, from the Gospel account of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus taking Christ down from the cross after his crucifixion

The Lamentation, ca. 1582

Benedetto Antelami. Deposition from the Cross (1178). Carved stone relief. Parma Cathedral

Rogier van der Weyden. Deposition. (c.1435) Oil on oak panel, 220 x 262 cm Museo del Prado, Madrid

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Externsteine Relief (12th century). Natural sandstone. Teutoburger Wald, Germany

Limbourg brothers. The Deposition, Les Trs Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Folio 156v (c. 1410). Illuminated manuscript. Muse Cond, Chantilly

Deposition of Christ, Fra Angelico (1437-1440). Tempera on wood, 176 x 185 cm. Museo di San Marco, Florence

Anonymous. Deposition of the Cross Church of Our Lady, Bruges, Belgium

Peter Paul Rubens. The Descent from the Cross (c. 1612). Oil on wood 420.5 320 cm Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp

Rembrandt van Rijn. Deposition (1633). Oil on wood. 89.4 65.2 cm.

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The Deposition from the Cross (18th century). Clay statues.

Antimension (1890). Printed on silk. Oradea-Mare, Transylvania, Romania

Last Supper
In the Gospels, the Last Supper (also called Lord's Supper) was the last meal Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles before his death. The Last Supper has been the subject of many paintings, perhaps the most famous by Leonardo da Vinci. In the course of the Last Supper, and with specific reference to taking the bread and the wine, Jesus told his disciples, "Do this in remembrance of me", (1 Corinthians 11:2325). (The vessel which was used to serve the wine is sometimes called the Holy Chalice.) Many Christians describe this as the institution of the Eucharist.

The Last Supper in Milan (1498), by Leonardo da Vinci.

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The Last Supper (1594) by Tintoretto

Jacopo Bassano's the Last Supper

Madonna and Child

The Madonna and Child is one of the central icons of Christianity, representing the Madonna or Mary, mother of Jesus and her son. After some initial resistance and controversy, the formula "Mother of God" (Theotokos) was adopted officially by the Christian Church at the Council of Ephesus .

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The Virgin and Child with St Anne

Leonardo da Vinci, circa 1508

Jrg Breu the Younger's painting of the Madonna and Child

Oil on wood

The Benois Madonna

Leonardo da Vinci, 1478

Oil on canvas

Madonna and Child with Saints Jerome and Mary Magdalene, ca. 1490 An example of a Russian Orthodox Icon of Mary and Jesus (Our Lady of St. Theodore).

168

112 cm

Enthroned Virgin and Child, ca. 12601280

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Madonna and Child, ca. 1300

Shrine of the Virgin, ca. 1300

Piet
A piet (pl. same; Italian for pity) is an artwork depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus. As such, it is a particular form of the devotional theme of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Michelangelo's Piet shows Mary holding the dead body of Jesus.

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Piet by Michelangelo, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence

The prayer Obsecro te (1470s), from the Book of Hours of Angers

Il-Piet statue, ejtun, Malta La Pieta, by Doug Johnston

The Raising of the Cross

Peter Paul Rubens. The Elevation of the Cross. 1610-1611. Oil on canvas. 462 341 cm. Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp.

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The end

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