Lives and Legends of the Saints: With Paintings from the Great Art Museums of the World - Softcover

Armstrong, Carole

Softcover

ISBN 10: 071121672X ISBN 13: 9780711216723

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Ltd, 2000

Synopsis

This volume tells of the lives and legends of 20 well-loved saints. Joan of Arc, Francis and Christopher take their places alongside Mary Magdalen, John the Baptist and a host of other great saints, whose symbolism is explored in simple terms.

About this title

Review:

From Joan of Arc to John the Baptist, here are the stories of twenty of the best-known and best-loved saints in Christian history as portrayed by the world's greatest artists. Beautifully printed in rich color.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 5 Up?The 20 saints and martyrs gathered here are, with few exceptions, either biblical figures central to the Christian story (John the Baptist, Joseph, Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene) or heroes of the early church. The biographies are brief?two or three paragraphs at most. Most of the selected martyrs lived under the pagan Roman emperors and proved their piety by dying in bizarre and horrendous ways. Some are famous for their legendary deeds?Christopher, for example, and Saint George. Also included are the two great medieval figures, Francis of Assisi and Joan of Arc. Details from works by Raphael, Giotto, and lesser known artists of the 14th to 16th centuries show the veneration in which these saints were later held in Europe. However, the confusion of Renaissance costumes and details with events that occurred back in the Roman Empire takes the book out of the realm of history and places it firmly in the category of religion, with some application to art history. The emphasis, both in text and in the artistic renderings, is on legend and miracle; the stories are drawn from church tradition and hagiology. The volume concludes with an index of the paintings and a complete calendar of the saints venerated on each day of the year. Handsomely designed, and with a text that elaborates on the curious and intriguing legends that surround the Catholic saints, the book is particularly appropriate for church schools and public libraries with extensive and balanced religious collections.?Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Ltd
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 071121672X
• ISBN 13: 9780711216723
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 45