Catholic Review of: Old Testament Figures in Art

Old Testament Figures in Art is another great reference work from the  J. Paul Getty museum's "Guide to Imagery" series.  A compilation of images from the Old Testament, including the deuterocanonical books, this volume acts as a survey of salvation history through the lens of the visual arts.  The book is not written from a distinctively Catholic point of view, but the text and images expound upon the theological nature of the stories and images in addition to pointing out artistic details. 

From the introduction:

One common feature of most of the Old Testament episodes that enjoyed popularity in art was their revival in the New Testament, where they were reread from a christological perspective…the Old Testament images selected are those that have occurred most often as iconographic prototypes within Christian sacred art.

With its many notes as to recurring themes and connections to the New Testament, this would be terrific to have on hand for a Scripture class at any level, as it provides beautiful art to supplement a lecture or to examine in its own right.  Each image is reproduced in full color and is grouped with similar pieces based on their correspondence to a particular event or figure in the Old Testament. Significant events in salvation history are presented in approximate chronological order, with notes as to the geographic location, relative time of their occurrence, Scriptural references, and the region where a particular image or event was most popular.

For example, the story of Abraham’s encounter with the king and priest Melchizedek is represented by two paintings, each with notes about the event prefiguring the Last Supper.  The section on this event includes an explanation of the circumstances leading up to Abraham’s meeting Melchizedek, and points out that Salem is the ancient name for the city of Jerusalem.  Each painting has multiple notes that point out significant figures and techniques used by the artist to create the work.

This book, like the others in the series, is a wonderful resource for educators, art history buffs, and those involved in the study of Scripture.  Like the Bible itself, it contains images of violence and scandal. Which means it’s not something you’d leave around for small children to page through, but could still be a source for teachers of younger children to find artwork to liven up their Bible stories. 

You can purchase this book here.