Index of Biblical Stories and Motifs themes.

  • Adam-and-Eve

    In the Genesis creation myth Adam & Eve were the first man and women.

  • Annunciation

    The announcement by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God.

  • Ascension

    The belief that the resurrected Christ was taken up into heaven some forty days after crucifixion.

  • Assumption

    The belief that the body of the Virgin Mary was taking up to heaven and reunited with her soul.

  • Baptism

    Application of water as a symbolic washing away of sin, as part of the ceremonial initiation into the Christian church.

  • Christ-in-Majesty

    Christ as s ruler of the universe. Normally he is in a mandorla and surrounded by other figures and objects.

  • Coronation-of-the-Virgin

    A subject in Christian Art where the Virgin Mary is shown being crowned on arrival in heaven, or sat on a throne with a crown beside her son. Though the later depiction is not strictly a crowning it is treated as such here.

  • Creation

    The creation story as told in Genesis.

  • Crucifixion

    The execution of Jesus, a critical aspect of Christian theology, leading the doctrine of salvation and atonement.

  • Ecce-homo

    A bound Jesus Christ wearing the crown of thorns. Ecce Homo (behold the man) is the Latin phrase that Pontius Pilate when Christ was presented to the crowd just before the crucifixion.

    The image has been popular in depictions of the Passion in western art particularly during the 15th to 17th centuries.

  • Epiphany

    The manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi.

  • Flight-into-Egypt

    Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus' escape after a warning that King Herod intended to kill all the infants in the area.

  • Good-Samaritan

    One of the parables told by Jesus in Luke 10:30/33.

  • Good-Shepherd

    A depiction of Jesus as a shepherd that lays down his life for his flock.

  • Harrowing-of-Hell

    An 8th century invention where Christ is supposed to have released the Righteous of the Old Testament along with Adam and Eve from Hell.

  • Healing

    Images concerned with miraculous healing

  • Immaculate-Conception

    Catholic doctrine that the Virgin Mary was conceived without sin. Although a popular belief for a number of centuries, it only became part of the dogma in the 19th century.

  • Jesus-Amongst-the-Doctors

    A missing Jesus is found by his parents in discussion with the temple elders.

  • Last-Judgement

    In Christian belief this is the final and eternal judgement by God of all nations at the end of history.

  • Last-Supper

    In Christian belief this was the final meal that Jesus shared with his disciples.

  • Madonna-and-Child

    A representation of Mary with the infant Jesus.

  • Marriage-at-Cana

    The first of the miracles ascribed to Jesus, by St John, where he turned water into wine.

  • Massacre-of-the-Innocents

    The infants that the bible says Herod had killed in and around Bethlehem as he feared that a newborn King would deprive him of his throne.

  • Nativity

    The events surrounding the actual birth of Christ. The Annunciation, and Epiphany are dealt with separately.

  • Pieta

    In Christian art a scene where the Virgin Mary is holding the dead body of Jesus.

  • Presentation-in-the-Temple

    In the gospel of Luke, when Jesus is presented at the temple following Mary’s purification, a man called Simeon called him a Light to the World.

  • Prodigal-Son
  • Raising-of-Lazarus

    Lazarus the brother of Martha and Mary (of Magdalene) was brought back to life by Jesus four days after he had died.

  • Resurrection

    Biblical story central to Christianity which tells of Jesus coming back to life after being executed by crucifixion at Golgotha.

  • Salvator-Mundi

    Christ as Saviour of the World. Theme in Christian art where Christ is holding an orb or globe representing the world, and his right hand raised giving a blessing.

  • Sermon-on-the-Mount

    Images depicting the story of the Surmon on the Mount, including the miracle of feeding the five thousand.

  • Teaching-the-Virgin-to-Read
  • Three-Marys-at-the-Tomb
  • Tree-of-Jesse

    A depiction of the ancestors of Christ starting from the father of King David, Jesse of Bethlehem.

  • Visitation

    The visit to Hebron by the Virgin Mary to St Elizabeth who was pregnant with John the Baptist.

  • Wedding-at-Cana

    Representation of Christ's miracle of turning water into wine.

  • Weighing-of-Souls

    In Christian theology the souls of the dead are weighed so as to judge them. This is based on the theory that sin is heavy and thus those that do not pass the test are destined for hell.

  • Widows-Son