by Chiara de Capoa. Published by J Paul Getty Museum, 2004. Reviewed by Lyn Smith.

This wonderful book is a must for teachers and students of Scripture and the history of art. It is a treasury of beautiful images of Old Testament stories from across the ages. Alongside each image is the Scriptural story and an exploration of the detail the artist has painted.

The Old Testament images have a strong link to ideas about Christ that have been important in the Christian understanding of the relationship between God and humanity. The artworks are placed chronologically, which makes it easy for the reader to find and see the development of this relationship.

I enjoyed Old Testament Figures in Art both for the simplicity of the layout and the opportunity to explore each artwork. There were many images that I looked at again and again, but my favourite sections dealt with “The Creation of Woman”, the detail of “The Jesse Tree” and “Isaiah and Jeremiah”. The painting that I returned to often was Gustave Moreau’s “Delilah” from 1890; its richness of colour was most striking.

This book is a feast for the eyes from beginning to end, a book to be studied or just admired.

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 252 September 2020: 23