As the serpent of Eden, often pictured with human face (inevitably female), the serpent is the embodiment of Satan.In other contexts, the serpent symbolizes craftiness or even wisdom. The snake or serpent is the most unusual symbol, because it represents both good and evil, depending on context. The dolphin was traditionally regarded as a psychopomp, leading souls to safety, and in this sense came to represent the church as guide of souls into paradise. The dolphin is a very ancient Christian symbol, and is drawn from earlier Greek and Roman symbolism. A number of saints are depicted defeating or otherwise overcoming dragons. An ape in chains represents sin conquered.Ī dragon in Christian art represents sin and the sinful nature, and is also a common way of depicting the devil, especially in the context of devourer. Satan sometimes appears in the form of an ape. The Ape is a symbol of the lower nature of man, and represents lust, avarice, malice. due to references in the Old Testament, most notably” The ass was the conveyance of the pregnant virgin, and was so highly esteemed by early Christians that they were accused of donkey-worship. Then was fulfilled that which was said by Isaiah the prophet, saying: The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib. The Ox and Ass are symbols of the nativity, and are drawn from the apocryphal gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, which quotes Old Testament prophecy: “and the ox and the ass adored Him. When the lamb bears a cruciform banner, it represents John the Baptist as the first to recognize the “lamb of God.” (John 1:29: Behold the Lamb of God) When the lamb is pictured with Jesus, as in “good shepherd” poses, it represents man as redeemed sinner. The Lamb most often represents Christ, symbolism drawn from numerous references in scripture. A winged lion (tetramorph) represents the Apostle Mark. The lion is frequently pictured alongside saints Anthony and Jerome. In some cases, the lion represents the Hebrew Tribe of Judah, in which case it is likely to carry a banner. it is a symbol od strength, fortitude, and wisdom. The Lion is a traditional symbol of solar energy, and this symbolism carried into Christianity with its attributes intact. In other uses, it symbolizes repentance and sorrow, and is often used to represent the mourning for Christ crucified in the weeks leading up to Easter. The royal color purple is a symbol of power, and often represents God. Worn by the virgin, it is the emblem of lifesblood. Red is also the color of Pentecost symbolizing the fiery nature of the Holy Ghost. it is used in the Church to denote the staus of Cardinal, and is a predominant color in images of martyrdom. Red is the color of love, anger, passion, and blood. yellow can also be used as a symbol of the devil, and of the apostle Judas, where it symbolizes deceitfulness and betrayal. Yellow/gold is the color of the sun, it symbolizes divine radiance, revelation, and revealed truth. Green symbolizes life and vegetation, and is an emblem of the resurrection. Blue symbolizes truth and clarity, it is the color of the sky, and therefore a symbol of heaven. The virgin Mary wears white in images of the immaculate conception, and under her blue robes in other portraits.īlack is an ancient symbol of death and mourning it is routinely used to symbolize the devil, the underworld, witches, and mourning- except when paired with white, the color of purity, whereby it becomes a symbol of humility.īrown and gray are symbols of humility and earthiness gray is also a color of mourning.īlue is thecolor most often associated with the Virgin Mary, portrayals of thew Virgin and the living Christ (ie, Jesus before the crucifixion) wear blue mantles. White is a symbol of purity and virginity, from whence derives the tradition of the white wedding dress and the white robes and collars worn by Christian clergy. White symbolizes the purity of the soul, innocence, and holiness. The list is divided into six sections: plants, animals, sacred objects, sacred dress, colors, and parts of the body. This is a work in progress, so please check back for updates. The following list gives a brief description of symbols used in Christian art, their meaning, and their origin when known. Catholic artistic tradition assigns to the saints particular symbols that reveal the Saint’s martyrdom, miracles, or circumstances of their lives.įor a list of Saints and their particular emblems, see: Symbols of the Saints. Generations of Christian artists have made use of symbolic libraries of colors, objects, animals, plants, gestures, and even the human body to interpret scripture and tradition through images. Christian artistic tradition is rife with symbolism.
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