Religious art

Religious art is a visual representation of religious ideologies and their relationship with humans. Sacred art directly relates to religious art in the sense that its purpose is for worship and religious practices. According to one set of definitions, artworks that are inspired by religion but are not considered traditionally sacred remain under the umbrella term of religious art, but not sacred art.^[1]

Other terms often used for art of various religions are cult image, usually for the main image in a place of worship, icon in its more general sense (not restricted to Eastern Orthodox images), and "devotional image" usually meaning a smaller image for private prayer or worship. Images can often be divided into "iconic images", just showing one or more figures, and "narrative images" showing moments from an episode or story involving sacred figures.

The use of images has been controversial in many religions. The term for such opposition is aniconism, with iconoclasm being the deliberate destruction of images by people of the same religion.

Religious Symbolism and Iconography[edit]

Across many religions, symbols or icons are used to represent specific beliefs. These small pieces of art are summaries of religion which can and have been used by many to imply what their beliefs are. For example, Christianity being symbolized by the cross icon and Islam being symbolized by the image of the star and crescent. Also see: Religious symbols

Religious image

Spiritualist art

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The glory of Byzantium: art and culture of the Middle Byzantine era, A.D. 843–1261

Hein, David. “Christianity and the Arts.” The Living Church, May 4, 2014, 8–11.

. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1982. ISBN 978-0-87099-348-0.

The Vatican: spirit and art of Christian Rome

(1998). Visual Piety: A History and Theory of Popular Religious Images. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Morgan, David

Sauchelli, Andrea (2016). The Will to Make‐Believe: Religious Fictionalism, Religious Beliefs, and the Value of Art. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 93, 3.

The Spiritual Dynamic in Modern Art : Art History Reconsidered, 1800 to the Present.

Charlene Spretnak

. The Gift of Art: the Place of the Arts in Scripture. Downers Grove, Ill.: Inter-Varsity Press, 1983. 130 p. ISBN 978-0-87784-813-4