Kiss of Judas, Giotto, 1305. Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy.
Welcome to BPL's Christianity and Visual Arts Research Guide!
This research guide provides library materials and research pathways to examining the connection between visual art and theology. Each page is designed as a starting point for further exploration.
How to Use this Guide
Use the menu options on the left-hand side of the page to navigate the guide. Each page contains a list of various resources and scholarship to start your research.
Meet with a Librarian
Librarians are here to partner with you at any stage of your project.
The BPL Library Staff is always eager to aid students and researchers in this area. Librarians can help you identify resources for your topic or develop a search strategy to find the best materials. To contact a librarian, email paynelib@vts.edu. The library staff is here to serve and resource your studies.
"Every religious expression in art represents, therefore, an encounter between man and the divine. Such encounters may be, on the one hand, a personal religious experience; or on the other, a religious perception of the world, the discovery that the world is a divine work, the creation of the gods." (Symbolism, the Sacred, & the Arts, Mircea Eliade, page 55)
Transformations in Persons and Paint by Chloe Reddaway
Reluctant Partners by Ena Giurescu Heller
Image As Theology edited by Strine Casey, Mark Mclnroy, and Alexis Torrance
The Sacred Gaze by David Morgan
A Journey into Christian Art by Helen de BorchgraveUse these to browse the stacks by subject. Due to their size, some art-related books may be in the Folio section of the open stacks. For many subject areas below, it's important to browse both locations (regular and Folio size).
The following scholars have done great work into the intersection of Christian theology and visual art. They are great starting points for research and further understanding.