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Rosa Giorgi

Christian saints have been the objects of reverence and fascination throughout the past two millennia. Their likenesses, heroic acts, prayerful lives, and stories of martyrdom have been portrayed frequently in art of diverse media. Unfamiliar with the saints and their images and symbols, viewers of art may find it challenging to identify, for example, which saint is represented as a monk with an axe through his head, or a beautiful girl holding a wheel, or a woman carrying her eyes on a plate.

From Agatha to Zeno, Francis of Assisi to Mary Magdalene, Saints in Art presents the characteristic features of more than one hundred saints often encountered in sacred Western art. Each saint is introduced by a practical list of his or her unique attributes. Entries also include notes on the saints' lives and a series of visual references to help the reader recognize these exemplary figures, their histories, and their special devotions. This useful resource is illustrated with a stunning collection of masterpieces.

Rosa Giorgi is an art historian specializing in iconography. She has written books on Caravaggio, Velázquez, and El Greco.

“A wonderful little book for anyone who is fascinated with the lives of the saints—without heavy hagiography—and how they have been imagined in art over time.”
—Katrina van der Water, Tui Moto

"Highly recommended for both basic and advanced art collections."
—Library Journal

384 pages
5 1/4 x 7 3/4 inches
400 color illustrations 
ISBN 978-0-89236-717-7
paperback

Getty Publications
Imprint: J. Paul Getty Museum
Series: A Guide to Imagery

2003

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