Visual artists were Christians who, over time, have shaped cultural, spiritual and aesthetic landscapes. They haven’t just contributed to religious domains, but to the world of art in general, in many different artistic genres and expressions. From early church frescoes to contemporary installations that go against all convention, Christian artists have long tried to achieve transcendence and truth in their art. Such striving, and sometimes this obsession with theology, humanity and faith as a puzzle, has been what makes their work so enduring across time and culture.
The visual arts were an important medium for Christian discourse, especially in the medieval period, when literacy was low and images were the chief means of transmission of sacred messages. Eastern Orthodox iconography and Gothic cathedral windows show powerful ways in which artists translated deep theological principles into visual language. They were not ornaments; they were vessels of worship, prayer and instruction, the creation of a shared experience of Christian teaching and the bible.
The Renaissance brought Christian artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci who made religious art to unsurpassed levels, marrying religion with humanism. They were perfect examples of the spiritual-human connection: Godly subjects were rendered sympathetically, appealing to the spiritual as well as the intellectual audience. In the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, for example, we can see more than Michelangelo’s technical genius: it’s an exploration of humanity’s relation to the divine, as it unfolds in the unfolding of the Bible.
Later centuries in the Baroque saw the likes of Caravaggio and Bernini play with flashes of light and darkness to call out a divine mystery and grace. They were also works that tried to invoke wonder and devotion – a feature of the Counter-Reformation’s focus on art’s emotional and pedagogical force. Their works’ extreme realness and brusque spirituality enticed their readers to consider faith, crossing the threshold between sacred and corporeal.
The place of the visual arts in Christianity changed dramatically with the Reformation, especially in Protestant countries. Iconoclasm arose as Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin called for pictures. But art still continued to depict scripture and engender private prayer. Protestant artists such as Rembrandt made religious scenes about grace and salvation, and usually introspective and emotional.
In Catholic Europe, the Counter-Reformation had also prompted a revival of religious art that was dramatic and educational. Baroque masters like Caravaggio and Bernini created art that engaged the mind and the heart, which complied with the Church’s mandate to make believers. Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro brought biblical scenes to bare-bones realness, so they could be encountered by the layperson.
Christians working in the visual arts continued to create in the 20th and 21st centuries by using new media and technologies to get their message across. The internet, photography and mixed-media installations were all tools for tackling religion in a world of flux. These modern texts are often at the crux of issues of social justice, environmental care and human worth, expressing a broader appreciation of the gospel’s message for today.
It is also possible for Christian artists to work with non-Christian audiences, expressing their works outside of the church. By playing on subtle symbolism, universalism and evocation, these artists invite viewers to ponder higher issues of life, virtue and transcendence. And in so doing they provide a dialogue between sacred and profane art.
The Christian contribution to visual art is as much an act of taking part as it is of composing. They are part of the conversation around beauty, truth and meaning, showing us that art is not necessarily an antipode of religion and artistry. This ongoing work is helping keep Christian voices alive and thriving in the changing fabric of the visual arts and helps generations to see the world through the gaze of God’s majesty and meaning.