The Power of Religious Art

For thousands of years, religion has played an important role in art. Experts in the field tend to research the links between these two essential phenomena and track the ways one can affect the other. There is no doubt that religious art, which represents the sacred, has become the spiritual engine bringing people closer to the divine.

Religious art moves the heart

We naturally use our sight to experience works of visual art but when beholding religious icons or paintings, it appeals to our other senses and feelings. The function of religious art is not to simply refer to external objects but to give a vision to both human limitations and the eternity of the inner world. For example, works of the talented painter Akiane Kramarik are closely related to the visions that were given to her by God. Her incredible paintings portraying Jesus’ face have opened the hearts of many unbelievers and brought many people closer to the sacred.

Bringing history to life

Every piece of iconography or religious painting is extremely significant in expanding our imagination of biblical or past historical events. The icons that depict the Crucifixion, for example, help individuals go back in time to discover quite realistic figures of the Bible and visualize the whole religious event. A church iconostasis also has such functions. A set of icons placed in a temple has both decorative and teaching purposes.

Search for artistic beauty

The experience of beauty is one of the unique goals of religious art. The best works have the capacity to reflect a dialogue between artistic object and transmitted experience of profound purity and holiness. Beauty in this sense is not so much aesthetic feature as it is the awakening of the inner love to the world and art.

Religious art always speaks to the minds and hearts of individuals, forcing people to visualize, feel, and deep into history. This part of art tends to make our faith stronger and build a firm sense of aesthetic.