Bible Stories Told by Craftsmen of the Early Centuries T HE following pictures, which are used by the courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, show how universally the Bible was taught by means of the crafts. These stories were depicted not only in stone and mosaic upon the exterior and interior of the great churches, but they were illustrated also in many different materials — ivory, wood, silver, stained glass. The vast majority of the people of these centuries were unable to read and this constant portrayal of the Bible even upon familiar objects of household use made the incidents of the Bible almost universally known. This work may seem crude and even inartistic to us, but it must be remembered that it is the work of very early periods and it must be studied from a devotional rather than from an artistic standpoint. The craftsman in his shop doing the best he could with the material at hand and his own limited knowledge was a real preacher of the Bible to the people. While this work may seem primitive, compare it with some of the illustrative work of the present time, which is not only crude and bad from an artistic standpoint, and not only teaches no great moral lesson as the craftsmen of the Middle Ages attempted to do, but leaves an effect which is often vicious and harmful. THE NATIVITY By courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York THIS is a Bible story shown in very early stained glass. The period is about the 15th century. A Bible story told in wood carving. This is an old Flemish or French Gothic carving representing the descent from the cross. Carved in oak. THE MADONNA AND CHILD By courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York A Bible story told in marble. This is a marble sarcophagus of the 12th century, from Verona, Italy. THE HEALING MINISTRY OF JESUS By courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York On this wooden altar which was originally covered with thin plates of silver, there is a representation in ivory of Jesus healing a blind man and Jesus healing a demoniac. The period is about the 9th century. By courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |