The audacity of Christian art: the problem with Christ

How do you paint a figure who is fully human and fully divine? This episode sets the scene for exploring the problem and considers the inherent audacity of what Christian art attempts to do.

Beginning with Cima da Conegliano’s The Incredulity of Saint Thomas (c. 1502–4), Chloë Reddaway suggests that some artists invite viewers to ponder the mystery of the Incarnation by creating and playing with strange and paradoxical elements in their paintings.

From The National Gallery.

Cite this page as: The National Gallery, London, "The audacity of Christian art: the problem with Christ," in Smarthistory, June 30, 2018, accessed December 29, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/the-problem-with-christ/.