The Oxford Companion to Christian Art and Architecture

From the soaring vaults of the Gothic cathedral, to Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, to Marc Chagall's majestic tapestries for the Knesset in Jerusalem, biblical stories and Christian themes form an integral part of our artistic heritage. But a lack of knowledge of the Bible, Christian doctrine, and church history frequently prevents us from understanding--and appreciating--much of the greatest art ever created.

Exquisitely designed and lavishly illustrated--with over 200 pictures, including 16 color plates--The Oxford Companion to Christian Art and Architecture offers a goldmine of information on the Judeo Christian tradition as it applies to Western art. Here are over 1700 alphabetical entries that cover everything from Adam and Eve and the Good Samaritan, to Illuminated Books and Rose Windows, to the great popes and emperors who patronized the arts, to the major artists whose work reflects Judeo-Christian themes. Topics range from biographical studies of major artists, saints, popes, patrons, and biblical figures, to detailed essays on periods and styles in art and architecture--continually interconnecting the religious and the artistic. The authors provide an informative glossary of architectural terms, and conclude with an extensive bibliography based on the Murrays' own personal library of art books.