Christian Art Gifts Popular Books
Christian Art Gifts Biography & Facts
Early Christian art and architecture (or Paleochristian art) is the art produced by Christians, or under Christian patronage, from the earliest period of Christianity to, depending on the definition, sometime between 260 and 525. In practice, identifiably Christian art only survives from the 2nd century onwards. After 550, Christian art is classified as Byzantine, or according to region. It is hard to know when distinctly Christian art began. Prior to 100, Christians may have been constrained by their position as a persecuted group from producing durable works of art. Since Christianity as a religion was not well represented in the public sphere, the lack of surviving art may reflect a lack of funds for patronage, and simply small numbers of followers. The Old Testament restrictions against the production of graven (an idol or fetish carved in wood or stone) images (see also Idolatry and Christianity) may also have constrained Christians from producing art. Christians may have made or purchased art with pagan iconography, but given it Christian meanings, as they later did. If this happened, "Christian" art would not be immediately recognizable as such. Early Christianity used the same artistic media as the surrounding pagan culture. These media included fresco, mosaics, sculpture, and manuscript illumination. Early Christian art used not only Roman forms but also Roman styles. Late classical style included a proportional portrayal of the human body and impressionistic presentation of space. Late classical style is seen in early Christian frescos, such as those in the Catacombs of Rome, which include most examples of the earliest Christian art. Early Christian art and architecture adapted Roman artistic motifs and gave new meanings to what had been pagan symbols. Among the motifs adopted were the peacock, Vitis viniferavines, and the "Good Shepherd". Early Christians also developed their own iconography; for example, such symbols as the fish (ikhthus) were not borrowed from pagan iconography. Early Christian art is generally divided into two periods by scholars: before and after either the Edict of Milan of 313, bringing the so-called Triumph of the Church under Constantine, or the First Council of Nicea in 325. The earlier period being called the Pre-Constantinian or Ante-Nicene Period and after being the period of the First seven Ecumenical Councils. The end of the period of early Christian art, which is typically defined by art historians as being in the 5th–7th centuries, is thus a good deal later than the end of the period of early Christianity as typically defined by theologians and church historians, which is more often considered to end under Constantine, around 313–325. Symbols During the persecution of Christians under the Roman Empire, Christian art was necessarily and deliberately furtive and ambiguous, using imagery that was shared with pagan culture but had a special meaning for Christians. The earliest surviving Christian art comes from the late 2nd to early 4th centuries on the walls of Christian tombs in the catacombs of Rome. From literary evidence, there may well have been panel icons which, like almost all classical painting, have disappeared. Initially Jesus was represented indirectly by pictogram symbols such as the Ichthys (fish), peacock, Lamb of God, or an anchor (the Labarum or Chi-Rho was a later development). Later personified symbols were used, including Jonah, whose three days in the belly of the whale pre-figured the interval between the death and resurrection of Jesus, Daniel in the lion's den, or Orpheus' charming the animals. The image of "The Good Shepherd", a beardless youth in pastoral scenes collecting sheep, was the most common of these images, and was probably not understood as a portrait of the historical Jesus. These images bear some resemblance to depictions of kouros figures in Greco-Roman art. The "almost total absence from Christian monuments of the period of persecutions of the plain, unadorned cross" except in the disguised form of the anchor, is notable. The Cross, symbolizing Jesus' crucifixion on a cross, was not represented explicitly for several centuries, possibly because crucifixion was a punishment meted out to common criminals, but also because literary sources noted that it was a symbol recognised as specifically Christian, as the sign of the cross was made by Christians from very early on. The popular conception that the Christian catacombs were "secret" or had to hide their affiliation is probably wrong; catacombs were large-scale commercial enterprises, usually sited just off major roads to the city, whose existence was well known. The inexplicit symbolic nature of many early Christian visual motifs may have had a function of discretion in other contexts, but on tombs, they probably reflect a lack of any other repertoire of Christian iconography. The dove is a symbol of peace and purity. It can be found with a halo or celestial light. In one of the earliest known Trinitarian images, "the Throne of God as a Trinitarian image" (a marble relief carved c. 400 CE in the collection of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation), the dove represents the Spirit. It is flying above an empty throne representing God, in the throne are a chlamys (cloak) and diadem representing the Son. The Chi-Rho monogram, XP, apparently first used by Constantine I, consists of the first two characters of the name 'Christos' in Greek. Christian art before 313 A general assumption that early Christianity was generally aniconic, opposed to religious imagery in both theory and practice until about 200, has been challenged by Paul Corby Finney's analysis of early Christian writing and material remains (1994). This distinguishes three different sources of attitudes affecting early Christians on the issue: "first that humans could have a direct vision of God; second that they could not; and, third, that although humans could see God they were best advised not to look, and were strictly forbidden to represent what they had seen". These derived respectively from Greek and Near Eastern pagan religions, from Ancient Greek philosophy, and from the Jewish tradition and the Old Testament. Of the three, Finney concludes that "overall, Israel's aversion to sacred images influenced early Christianity considerably less than the Greek philosophical tradition of invisible deity apophatically defined", so placing less emphasis on the Jewish background of most of the first Christians than most traditional accounts. Finney suggests that "the reasons for the non-appearance of Christian art before 200 have nothing to do with principled aversion to art, with other-worldliness, or with anti-materialism. The truth is simple and mundane: Christians lacked land and capital. Art requires both. As soon as they began to acquire land and capital, Christians began to experiment with their own distinctive forms of art". In the Dura-Europos church, of abo.... Discover the Christian Art Gifts popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Christian Art Gifts books.
Best Seller Christian Art Gifts Books of 2024
-
The Business of Heaven
C. S. LewisA repackaged edition of Lewis’s classic reading collectionreminiscent of the bestselling A Year with C. S. Lewisfeaturing 365 selections from his writings that explore our connecti...
-
Save Me from Myself
Brian WelchThe amazing true story of an outofcontrol rock star, his devastating addiction to drugs, and his miraculous redemption through Jesus Christ.In February 2005, more than ten thousand...
-
Hostage to the Devil
Malachi MartinOne On One With SatanA chilling and highly convincing account of possession and exorcism in modern America, hailed by NBC Radio as "one of the most stirring books on the contempora...
-
The Alchemist
Paulo CoelhoA special 25th anniversary edition of the extraordinary international bestseller, including a new Foreword by Paulo Coelho.Combining magic, mysticism, wisdom and wonder into an ins...
-
Reflections on the Psalms
C. S. LewisA repackaged edition of the revered author’s moving theological work in which he considers the most poetic portions from Scripture and what they tell us about God, the Bible, and f...
-
Para Selena, Con Amor
Chris PerezEn este tributo sincero, a Chris Perez le cuenta la historia de su relación con la estrella de música Selena.Una de las superestrellas más impresionantes y adoradas en la historia ...
-
The Stranger in the Lifeboat
Mitch Albom#1 New York Times BestsellerWhat would happen if we called on God for help and God actually appeared? In Mitch Albom’s profound new novel of hope and faith, a group of shipwrecked ...
-
Decluttering at the Speed of Life
Dana K. WhiteYou don't have to live overwhelmed by stuffyou can get rid of clutter for good! Decluttering expert Dana White identifies the emotional challenges that make it difficult to declutt...
-
Catholicism
Robert Barron“Catholicism takes a path less traveled in leading us to explore the faith through stories, biographies, and images.”Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New YorkWhat is Catholicis...
-
Miracles
C. S. LewisDo Miracles Really Happen?In Miracles, C.S. Lewis argues that a Christian must not only accept but rejoice in miracles as a testimony of the unique personal involvement of God in h...
-
God Bless This Mess
Hannah BrownA New York Times bestseller.“My life was a complete mess, and God bless all of it. Because it’s in the messes where we learn the mostas long as we slow down enough to realize ...
-
The Return of the Prodigal Son
Henri J. M. NouwenWith over a million copies sold, this classic work is essential reading for all who ask, “Where has my struggle led me?” A chance encounter with a reproduction of Rembrandt’s&...
-
The Art of Overcoming
Tim TimberlakeLife is full of everyday setbacks. In The Art of Overcoming, you will learn how to process these moments and triumphantly move beyond them.The Art of Overcoming explores how we dea...
-
The Four Loves
C. S. LewisAffection, Friendship, Eros, CharityHow does love work in our daily lives? In The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis explores the four kinds of human love: affection, the most basic form; frie...
-
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
C. S. LewisThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second book in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia, a series that has become part of the canon of classic literature, drawing readers...
-
Becoming Free Indeed
Jinger VuoloNew York Times BestsellerJinger Vuolo, the sixth child in the famous Duggar family of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On, recounts how she began to question the unhealthy i...
-
What Christians Believe
C. S. LewisThe Essentials ExplainedMaster storyteller and essayist C. S. Lewis here tackles the central questions of the Christian faith: Who was Jesus? What did he accomplish? What does it m...
-
A Grief Observed
C. S. LewisThe Spiritual Journey of GriefA Grief Observed is C.S. Lewis’s honest reflection on the fundamental issues of life, death, and faith in the midst of loss. Written after his wi...
-
Inferno
Dante & Allen MandelbaumIn this superb translation with an introduction and commentary by Allen Mandelbaum, all of Dante's vivid imagesthe earthly, sublime, intellectual, demonic, ecstaticare rendered ...
-
Leaving Church
Barbara Brown Taylor“This beautiful book is rich with wit and humanness and honesty and loving detail….I cannot overstate how liberating and transforming I have found Leaving Church to be.” Frederick ...
-
Heretics and Heroes
Thomas CahillThe New York Times bestselling author of How the Irish Saved Civilization reveals how the innovations of the Renaissance and the Reformation changed the Western world. “Cahi...
-
The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown#1 WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been mu...
-
Resurrecting Easter
John Dominic Crossan & Sarah CrossanIn this fourcolor illustrated journey that is part travelogue and part theological investigation, bestselling author and acclaimed Bible scholar John Dominic Crossan and his w...
-
A Year with Aslan
C. S. Lewis"Lewis combines a novelist's insights into motives with a profound religious understanding." New York Times Book ReviewIn the tradition of A Year with C.S. Lewis, get your daily do...
-
The Fellowship Of The Ring
J. R. R. TolkienBegin your journey into Middleearth...The inspiration for the upcoming original series on Prime Video, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.The Fellowship of the Ring is the f...
-
The Screwtape Letters
C. S. LewisA Masterpiece of Satire on Hell’s Latest Novelties and Heaven’s Unanswerable AnswerC.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters has entertained and enlightened readers the world over with it...
-
God Is Not One
Stephen ProtheroIn God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World, New York Times bestselling author of Religious Literacy and religion scholar Stephen Prothero argues that persisten...
-
The Nesting Place
Myquillyn SmithCreate the homeand lifeyou've always wanted with the help of popular blogger and author of Cozy Minimalist Home Myquillyn Smith (The Nester) as she helps you free yoursel...
-
Cozy Minimalist Home
Myquillyn SmithGo beyond décor trends to make your home beautiful, stylish, and comfortable. . .on any budget.Writing for the handson woman who'd rather move her own furniture than hire a designe...
-
How I Saved the World
Jesse Watters#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!At one of the most chaotic periods in American history, in a time of national distrust and despair, one tanned TV host holds the key to the future.In...
-
Capital Gaines
Chip GainesThe most important step is the first one. Dive into Chip Gaines’ personal playbook and start learning how to succeed in businessand in life. A New York Times, USA Today, Wall Stree...
-
I Can Only Imagine
Bart Millard“The Story That Inspired the Major Motion Picture.”The captivating story behind the bestselling single in the history of Christian musicand the man who wrote itMercyMe’s crossover ...
-
The Problem of Pain
C. S. LewisWhy Must We Suffer?“If God is good and allpowerful, why does he allow his creatures to suffer pain?” And what about the suffering of animals, who neither deserve pain nor can be im...
-
The Horse and His Boy
C. S. LewisIllustrations in this ebook appear in vibrant full color on a fullcolor ebook device and in rich black and white on all other devices.Narnia . . . where horses talk . . . where tre...
-
Before Amen
Max LucadoWe all pray. . . some. But wouldn’t we like to pray better? Stronger? With more fire, faith and fervency?We aren’t the first to struggle with prayer. The first followers of Jesus n...
-
How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind
Dana K. WhiteBring your home out of the mess it’s inand learn how to keep it under control! Housekeeping expert Dana K. White shares realitybased cleaning and organizing techniques that will he...
-
Stitches
Anne LamottThe New York Times bestseller from the author of Dusk, Night, Dawn, Hallelujah Anyway, Bird by Bird, and Almost Everything“Lamott’s …most insightful book yet, Stitches...
-
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Annie DillardWinner of the Pulitzer Prize“The book is a form of meditation, written with headlong urgency, about seeing. . . . There is an ambition about her book that I like. . . . It is the a...
-
A Year with C. S. Lewis
C. S. LewisThe classic A Year with C.S. Lewis is an intimate daytoday companion by C.S. Lewis, the most important Christian writer of the 20th century. The daily meditations have been culled ...
-
Surprised by Joy
C. S. LewisA repackaged edition of the revered author’s spiritual memoir, in which he recounts the story of his divine journey and eventual conversion to Christianity.C. S. Lewisthe great Bri...
-
The Church
Cardinal Donald Wuerl & Mike AquilinaFrom the bestselling authors of The Mass, an insightful and practical guide that explores the architectural and spiritual components of the Catholic Church.Your local church is not...
-
The Fairest Beauty
Melanie DickersonSophie has long wished to get away from her stepmother’s jealous anger, and believes escape is her only chance to be happy. Then a young man named Gabe arrives from Hagenheim Castl...
-
The Art of Arranging Flowers
Lynne BranardA moving and eloquent novel about love, grief, renewaland the powerful language of flowers. Ruby Jewell knows flowers. In her twenty years as a florist she has stood behind th...
-
Mere Christianity
C. S. LewisThe Beloved Classic on What All Christians BelieveOne of the most popular introductions to Christian faith ever written, Mere Christianity brings together Lewis’s legendary broadca...
-
Lamb
Christopher MooreEveryone knows about the immaculate conception and the crucifixion. But what happened to Jesus between the manger and the Sermon on the Mount? In this hilarious and bold novel, the...