5 comments about Saints: A Year in Faith and Art.

1. As a Catholic School librarian, I highly recommend this
   book. One of the very delightful aspects of this book is
   it's beautiful physical appearance. It is small in size,
   remanisant of medieval hand printed books. The smooth
   paper and gilt cover add to it's appeal. There is a brief
   description of each saint with an accompanying picture
   on the opposite page. The old masters art work is
   lovely. However, some of the pictures are graphic and
   may not be for very young children.



2. I bought this book for my son as he received First Communion. He has consulted it almost every day since, reporting to the rest of the family on the saint featured. Every page turn has a brief story of the saint of the day on one side and a stunning artwork depicting a scene from the saint's life on the other.
   
   One word of caution: martyrdom is not for the faint of heart. Some of the artistic renditions are quite graphic, even explicit, as in the case of Saint Agatha, who apparently had her breasts ripped out with pincers.



3. This is an amazing little book of saints. Designed for a "saint a day", it sometimes has two saints per day, but what really stands out is the absolutely beautiful artwork from medieval to modern times. Although the book is small, and hence the pictures also small, they are so sharp and beautiful that their size won't matter. The lives of each saint, being limited to a page or a page and a half, are only overviews, but good for a brief reading on a daily basis. No large time commitment here.



4. The book offers a daily review of a saint or blessed within the Catholic faith. An overview of their life and who they are patron saints of is included. What I enjoyed most was learning the Saints name origin and what it means. Each review is only 1 large paragraph and a picture is included. What a wonderful way to start or end your daily prayers!



5. As a Catholic priest for over 30 years, I am a lover of spiritual books and stories of role models of the faith. SAINTS: A YEAR in FAITH and ART is just such a book! In addition to the brief paragraphs about each saint, the art work presented relating to the saint is itself worth moments of reflection. If you want more knowledge of a saint, I suggest ALL SAINTS by Robert Ellsberg. If you want a succint understanding of a saint, this is your book! The cover, the daily portrayals and the art work all are worth this price!
   PS: I bought several copies and gave them to my Staff for Christmas gifts. They loved it!

5 comments about Saints in Art (Guide to Imagery Series).

1. This beautiful book contains a collection of biographies of saints together with Old Master's paintings. There are usually several paintings depicting each saint.
   They include bullets of artistic information about most of the pictures. I do not recommend it for children
   because of the sometimes grahic depictions of martyrdom.



2. I believe there can be intrinsic value in Art, and for whatever reason, I relate better to Art in which I can recognize 'true' expressions of 'the Human Condition.' IOW, I may have a limited breadth of soul, but I see much Modern Art as Absurd (or Disturbing). To cut to the chase, regardless of your Religious orientation or preference, there is much sense to the range of human expression found in this book, and best of all for my money, the wonder of it all.
   
   However, the book title is literal, it is a book of Saints represented in Art. If you're at all put off by the ubiquitous nature of bygone Catholic days, 'got enough dogma,' you may not care for this book. If you are able to look past this, you may very readily see a wide and true spectrum of views of our common Humanity.
   
   In all Art books, I prefer the narrative not going overboard, this book does it fairly nicely. The narrative includes bio info on the Saint depicted, but it also includes helpful Art criticism that is pragmatic and avoids esoteric verbiage best kept in Graduate Studies. It's a nice quality book, but the only fault I find with it is, I wish it'd been a larger format by several inches, I prefer the Big Picture. A pretty good value.
   
   Hope this review helps.



3. Books with stories that you can leaf through, without reading linearly from cover to cover, are always fun, and for lovers of medieval art, Saints is one of the best. Lushly illustrated, and formatted somewhat like a travel guide, the mini-biographies summarize what is known about each saint. Representative art works are provided, accompanied by sidebars and annotations with arrows that point out key features. Saints in Art is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to decipher the symbology and iconography contained in the religious works, great and small.



4. this book is awesome! it has info on over 100 saints commonly found in art. stuff like name, time and place of earthly life,what they did, patronage,special devotions, connections to other saints, when they became saints and their feast days are easily found on the sidebar. there is a little biography and then a collection of maybe three paintings and an explanation of who is in the painting and what they are doing as well as the meanings of the objects they are pictured with. for instance, if i ever see a painting of a woman with her hair down pictured with a container of oil or ointment i will know it is mary magdalene. a t-shaped cane is an emblem of St. Anthony Abbot, etc. super useful saint painting decoder.



5. This title originally comes from the popular Dizionari dell'Arte series by Italian publishers Electa and we should be thankful that the Getty has taken on the task of translating these fabulous reference books into English. Saints in Art is an important source not only for the iconography and hagiography of the principal saints in art but on the great visual history of European painting (with an emphasis on Italian). Lavishly illustrated. I highly recommend it!

1 comments about The Art of Saint John's Bible: A Reader's Guide to Pentateuch, Psalms, Gospels and Acts.

1. Featuring rich color photography, The Art of Saint John's Bible: A Readers Guide to Pentateuch, Psalms, Gospels and Acts is a beautiful tour of illuminated Biblical text in the first three published volumes of "The Saint John's Bible": Pentateuch, Psalms, and Gospels and Acts. The text examines specific illuminations with all the fine attention to detail, history, and context worthy of museum pieces, while the copious color pictures reveal the wondrous detail of visual elements and textual treatments. Highly recommended for church libraries as an aide to more deeply experiencing and understanding illuminated biblical text.

1 comments about Religion, Art, and Visual Culture: A Cross-Cultural Reader.

1. This is an amazing book. It opens up all kinds of interesting questions about the importance of seeing and vision in a range of different religious contexts. In each major section, Plate invites us to approach a religious tradition not through its main scriptures but through a visual medium. Islam, for example, is approached via calligraphy as a way of thinking about the written word as image. Buddhism is approached through zen gardens as a way of thinking about the concept of shinjin (mind-body). I used this book as the primary textbook for a college course called "Religion and Visual Culture." It was a huge success. It is filled with interesting ideas and fresh approaches, and it is great reading. I highly recommend it.

3 comments about Gospel Figures in Art (Guide to Imagery Series).

1. In "Guide to Imagery Series" books I found the books on art
   that give an exceptionally clear presentation of the subject.
   I bought 6 books from this series ("Gospel figures in art" among them) and I really found what I was searching for. You can study Old and New Testament as well as ancient mythology reading these books, understand the role of different details, symbols drawn on each picture. Inside each book there is a short description of the specific topic followed by full-colour reproductions of the pictures on this topic from different museums all over the world with detailed explanations to each picture. It was amazing to find and understand the meaning of different pictures I saw in art galleries in St.Petersburg, Berlin, Munich, Dresden, Venice, Naples and other places. Really a great selection of art works is presented in each of these books. I strongly recommend all these books to everybody who wants to understand the meaning of the pictures and get a nice art collection at home.



2. This book is spectacular ... don't miss it! It offers a comprehensive look at old testament artwork from the masters that will inspire you over and over again. It follows a basic chronological order that works well with the study of ancient history. Much information is given, yet it is concise and to the point. Beautiful for all ages!



3. If you think you know the gospels (the first 4 books of the New Testament), this book will open your eyes. If you think you know Western art, this book will teach you things you never knew you didn't know. Every incident in the gospels, as well as every incident that has grown up as a traditional addition to the gospels, is touched on. Then a large number of paintings are beautifully reproduced and annotated in detail. You can think of this book either as illustrating the gospels in detail, or explicating every detail of Western painting based on the gospels. A sheer delight. A wonderful treasure.

1 comments about Details in Contemporary Architecture: AsBuilt.

1. AsBuilt is a new series of architecture books beint published by Princeton Architectural Press. This is the first book in the series and seems to be the prototype for the concept of the series.
   
   This book, and all of the planned books in the series, feature 25 buildings that were actually constructed in the US or Canada. Besides being interesting buildings in their overall design, the author, a practicing architect in her own right, goes beyond the facade to present how the special features of the building were designed/constructed.
   
   As the saying goes, 'the Devil is in the details.' And here are the details of these buildings discussed in the open. Many of these feature new construction materials, old materials used in new ways, or merely have designs that go beyond the expected. Ms. Killory has been able to get the architects involved to share their newest developments, right down to including the engineering drawings of particularly difficult parts of the structure.
   
   This book goes beyond the normal 'idea book' to give you the how as well. And showing only 'AsBuilt' buildings, here are buildings not just concepts on paper.

2 comments about A History of Icon Painting.

1. The book presents a geographical history of the icon. Very good quality with the images and the paper. A great work that makes you understand the icon with a great deal of examples.



2. I am an iconographer and the priest who taught me everything I know gave me this book. Unlike many of the icon books I own, it gives a more detailed description of each icon. It also has many inset photos of the icons so that you may study details better. It is inexpensive and contains a wealth of knowledge. If you are looking for more information on this beautiful and sacred art, this is a good start.

3 comments about The Illustrated Jesus Through the Centuries.

1. Jaroslav Pelikan, author of a great number of books, including Mary through the Centuries and a five-volume collection on the history of Christianity entitled The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, has produced in this volume a lavishly illustrated version of his previous book, Jesus through the Centuries.

   In this volume, the original text has been condensed and hundreds of new illustrations have been added, to give a more visual representation of the way in which Jesus has been portrayed artistically through the two millennia of Christianity. Always one of the most popular figures in Eastern and Western art, Jesus has also been one of the most enigmatic and difficult to portray. `"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. Do not be lead away by diverse and strange teachings" (Heb. 13:8-9). With these words the New Testament admonished its readers to remain loyal to the deposit of the authentic and authoritative tradition of Christ, as this had come down to them through the apostles of the first generation.... But for purposes of this book, it is the historical import of this phrase that must chiefly engage our attention. For, as will become evident in considerable detail before this history of images of Jesus through the centuries is finished, it is not sameness but kaleidoscopic variety that is its most conspicuous feature.'

   Art has, of course, had many different purposes and intentions throughout history -- education, enlightenment, idealistic or realistic representation, and veneration, in addition to simple decoration. The changing imagery of Jesus reflects the changing culture; when Christ is seen as a more divine figure, or when Jesus is shown as completely human, the artist is reflecting the theology and sociology of the time.

   One primary image of Jesus presented earliest was that of a rabbi, or teacher. In fact, even when Mary first sees the risen Christ, scripture reports that she called out to him, Rabbouni! Yet from the earliest representations, it was clear that this element was not sufficient for a full description, and that much more was needed. Prophet, priest, king, victim, divinity -- all had particular Jewish contexts which, when recast in the Hellenistic and pagan terms, took new meanings and directions.

   One intriguing aspect of the artistic imagery of Jesus is the continuing pendulum swing between contemporary representation (making Jesus and the imagery surrounding him contemporary with the artist) and the more 'historically accurate' representations which try to recreate the imagery of first-century Jerusalem. This shows the continuing conceptual struggle between viewing Jesus as a timeless character whose life events continue through time and the historical human being of Jesus who lived two thousand years ago. Long before scholars banded together in such groups as 'The Jesus Seminar', artists and theologians were playing out their own interpretations of the historicity-vs.-timeless version of Jesus Christ.

   This book is an opulent collection of photographs of paintings, drawings and other works of art that illustrate the meaning of the textual arguments Pelikan makes; it is also a wonderful source for contemplation, as one goes from early catacomb depictions to Michaelangelo to Marc Chagall, in reviewing in media without words the way Jesus has appeared to various people and cultures over time, and what insights these images can provide for seekers today.




2. Pelikan is an admirable scholar who has fine concepts behind his soundly reasoned books. Unfortunately, his writing style slows and disheartens the reader. He has a genius for taking fascinating subjects and reducing them to boredom.



3. Jaroslav Pellikan, as usual, brings great scholarship and interdisciplinary background to his theological statements. This illustrated version to his celebrated Jesus through the Centuries invites the reader to reflect on the ways humanity through the centuries had understood the person and message of Jesus of Nazareth. Pellikan's original text is condensed to give way to magnificent works of art that reflects faithfully the christological views of theologians, and artists through time. Pellikan tries his best to use models from the Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant theologies. This is not a substitute to the original book, but it gives the reader an opportunity to reflect, through words and images, on how the person and message of Christ had been perceived throughout history.

3 comments about Thriving as an Artist in the Church: Hope and Help for You and Your Ministry Team (Willow Creek Resources).

1. Book was is good condition and came promptly.



2. If you do, than this book is for your team or your life.
   
   This book is GREAT for group study or just for personal reading for personal growth. The chapters included: how to keep your passion alive; five relational skills every artist needs; coping with rejection and failure; working through relational conflict; how to develop a genuine "can-do" attitude; cultivating confidence; dealing with your "stuff"; how to survive as a leader in the church; rising above our artistic differences; how to fall in love with your church...and stay there.
   
   Each chapter starts out with a scenario of a real life situation and then uses that example throughout the chapter to help illustrate - very effective and engaging. The scenarios alone have provided hours of disucssion amoung our team members, in an out of class.
   
   Do you ever find yourself in a confrontational situation and don't know what to say? Do you ever find yourself the victim of harsh criticsm; hurt and fuming about it for months or years? Do you ever just wish you could quit and go somewhere else where there aren't so many "issues?" Are you tired of listening to someone's constant negative and critical attitude? Are you struggling with feeling like you can never be good enough? Are you deeply hurt because you were turned down, yet again, for the part that you really wanted? This book will identify with you, lift you up and help you develop a plan and strategy on what to say and how to act, and most importantly, guide you to scriptures that will keep you going.
   
   Even though this book can be well understood in its own standing, the predecessor of this book, "The Heart of the Artist" might be the best place to start. Generally, it defines and teaches on many of the foundational issues relating to character development that cause a lot of the problems described in this book.
   
   If you purchase this book, actually read it :) and apply the scriptures it will lead you to, you will NO DOUBT experience greater success and peace in your ministry and in your life in general.



3. My artistic team is going through this book right now. It has practical insights, discussion questions and personal action steps. The book has helped my team become more of a team while enriching their Christian journey. We also went through Heart of the Artist by the same author. It is equally good.
   There is not much out there for Christian Artists that is practical. Thanks Mr Noland.

3 comments about Art and Soul: Signposts for Christians in the Arts.

1. Christians in the Arts
   
   All people have a worldview, a certain set of assumptions about what is real and is not real, which enables the individual to function within and with the world that exist. Although few individuals ever sit down and try to analyze their worldview-and we all have one-that worldview finds expression in how we live. The individual's worldview can be seen in the product of the individual's labor. For the creative person, e.g., the artist, poet, writer, etc.,his or her worldview is apparent to the critic's trained eye in the creative product. Great art, it has been said, is but the coming together of worldview and technique.
   The Christian who wishes to express his or her creative gifts must learn to live in tension. Christianity, especially in America, has not been friendly to the creative spirit. In ART & SOUL: SIGNPOSTS FOR CHRISTIANS IN THE ARTS, Hilary Brand and Adrienne Chaplin argue that artistic expression is a natural byproduct of human beings created in the image of God. This does not mean that the Christian artist will paint only praying hands or write only religious romances, either of which are about as artistic as a velvet painting of Elvis. "All the products of human creativity, even the finest and most glorious, are products of a sin-infested world" (50). The Christian artist, like the non-Christian artist of merit, will seek to truthfully portray the world in all its complexity to an adult audience. To do so, write Brand and Chaplin, "the artist must learn to create a complex weave of dark and light. It means learning to use the full palate of shades, confident that in hands-that have learned their craft-they will not all merge into muddy grey" (55). The Christian worldview of the Christian artist will be evident to the discerning observer.
   The arts are but one focus of the spiritual war that is being waged within the created order, as well as in the heavenly realm. To divide the arts into the "secular" and the "Christian" is a false dualism. At the heart of the Christian message, as the authors point out, there is a duality in contradistinction to a dualism. It is "a very real battle between opposing forces of good and evil." It is a battle in which "the battlelines between good and evil run across all aspects of culture and every facet of life" (68).
   ART & SOUL is a well-written, well-illustrated study of the relationship between the creative arts and Christianity. Whether an artist seeking justification for being such, or a layperson who desires a better understanding of why human beings feel compelled to "create," this book is a good place to begin the quest.



2. This is a very informative interesting book. Easy to read, hard to put down. A great overview of past and present Art, how Art has shaped and been shaped, down through history and its relevance to us as Artists today. Thoroughly recommend.



3. In ART AND SOUL, Hilary Brand and Adrienne Chaplin explore the full spectrum of issues and concerns that face a Christian who is interested in working within any of the creative arts. They address questions ranging from postmodern assumptions about art through the very practical issue of who might (or should) support the artist in his/her work. This book seeks to explain why and how the arts impact the audience, and even if a reader may disagree with some of the authors' conclusions, the very fact that they have attempted to find purpose and meaning in the arts
   distinguishes this book from the multitude of contemporary aesthetic theories which tend to emphasize the utter subjectivity and "meaninglessness" of works of art. To support their discussion, Brand and Chaplin provide abundant examples of artistic works, including references to literature, music, and (especially) the visual arts. While some of these examples derive from the long history of the Christian church's interaction with the arts, most are current, involving the work of living artists in the news (such as the recent "Sensation" exhibit that created turmoil in Brooklyn)--and some whose work has undeservingly remained unknown. In addition, the authors cite numerous artists' views on the arts, as well as contemporary theorists such as Nicholas Wolterstorff and Calvin Seerveld. ART AND SOUL is by far the most comprehensive and most knowledgable study of the issues faced by Christians entering the arts. It is also quite accessible, with clearly defined terminology so that even a
   nonartist could follow the discussion without hesitation. Furthermore, because Brand and Chaplin have so thoroughly addressed the issues facing today's artists, this book would be a useful study for anyone seeking a better understanding of these questions. I enthusiastically recommend ART AND SOUL for anyone who seeks a greater understanding of the contemporary arts, the issues facing the arts, and the ways in which Christians can integrate the arts within their life (as well as integrating
   their life & faith into their art).