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Picturing Christ: Understanding Depictions of Jesus in History and Art
Picturing Christ tells the story of how Latter-day Saints and other Christians have imagined Jesus and portrayed him in art throughout history, as well as what the archaeological evidence suggests about what he might have looked like. Though what Jesus did is more important than how he looked, how we see him shapes us. Our assumptions about what Jesus would have looked like can have a significant impact on our relationships with Deity, ourselves, and one another.
Co-written by three professors of ancient scripture and an art historian, Picturing Christ walks us through the developments in art of Jesus throughout the centuries to help us begin to see him in new and transformative ways. By studying Jesus’s appearance and the long tradition of artistic efforts to reflect and appreciate his likeness, you will better understand the nature of our Savior and come closer to him.
Co-written by three professors of ancient scripture and an art historian, Picturing Christ walks us through the developments in art of Jesus throughout the centuries to help us begin to see him in new and transformative ways. By studying Jesus’s appearance and the long tradition of artistic efforts to reflect and appreciate his likeness, you will better understand the nature of our Savior and come closer to him.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 2, 2026
About the author
Daniel Becerra
3 books6 followersDaniel Becerra is an assistant professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University and is a scholar of early Christianity. He holds secondary specialties in New Testament and in Greco-Roman philosophy. He received a PhD in Religion (Early Christianity) and an MA in Religious Studies from Duke University, a MTS in New Testament/Early Christianity from Harvard Divinity School, and a BA in Ancient Near Eastern studies from Brigham Young University. His primary research interests concern moral formation in Late Antiquity (ca. 2nd–7th centuries CE), particularly within Christian ascetic contexts. He also researches topics relating to theology and ethics in the Book of Mormon.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 18, 2026
This book is essentially four fascinating lectures on what Christ may have actually looked like, how he has been portrayed throughout history, how he has been depicted in Mormon history, and what benefits come from a many-varied portrayal of Jesus. I loved reading it right around the Easter season (though admittedly it was hard to then see just how many clothes we cover him in - and all people in his time period!). Easy and quick to read, from people who have the credentials to write knowledgeably on the subject.
August 18, 2026
In the visual culture of modern Christianity, few images exert as profound an influence on the devotional imagination as the portrait of Jesus Christ. How believers visualize the Savior can subtly influence their theology, their scriptural hermeneutics, and their interpersonal relationships. Yet the artistic traditions that dominate chapel foyers and home walls are often assumed to be static or historically transparent. In Picturing Christ: Understanding Depictions of Jesus in History and Art, a collaborative team comprising three ancient scripture professors (Daniel Becerra, Mark D. Ellison, and Matthew J. Grey) and an art historian (Jennifer Champoux) provides a landmark volume that bridges the gap between rigorous academic scholarship and accessible public discipleship. Beautifully produced and overflowing with color reproductions (though still at an affordable price), the book offers a gentle yet uncompromising re-examination of how the Savior has been depicted across two millennia.
Grounding the Historical Jesus
The volume opens with a firm historical foundation in Chapter 1, authored by Matthew J. Grey, which tackles the question of what the mortal Jesus of Nazareth likely looked and dressed like. Drawing on first-century Galilean archaeology, ancient Near Eastern textile remains, and Judean material culture, Grey dispels centuries of idealized artistic conventions. He reconstructs the physical realities of a first-century Jewish peasant: the short, unkempt hair typical of Galilean men, the simple wool or linen tunics, the natural-dyed mantles, and the utilitarian leather sandals. By stripping away the Eurocentric, long-haired, serene aesthetic of later Western art, Grey grounds the New Testament narrative in a tangible, historical landscape, demonstrating that what Jesus wore and how He appeared reflected His voluntary subjection to the modest material conditions of His time and place.
In Chapter 2, Mark D. Ellison expands the lens to examine how broader Christian communities portrayed Christ over time. Tracing artistic evolution from early Roman catacomb frescoes—where Christ appears as a youthful Good Shepherd or a philosopher-teacher—through Byzantine mosaics, medieval crucifixes, and Renaissance masterpieces, Ellison demonstrates that every era paints Jesus in its own cultural image. Depictions of the Savior have never been culturally neutral; they reflect the shifting theological anxieties, political contexts, and aesthetic values of the communities that produced them in an effort to portray what Jesus the Christ means to them rather than what he actually looked like.
The Latter-day Saint Visual Tradition
Jennifer Champoux turns the focus inward in Chapter 3, providing an illuminating historical survey of Latter-day Saint artistic depictions of Jesus. Champoux details how, for much of the twentieth century, the institutional Church and its members relied almost exclusively on nineteenth-century European or mid-century Protestant illustrators—most notably Carl Bloch, Heinrich Hofmann, and Harry Anderson. While these works served a vital role in establishing a recognizable, reverent visual brand during the Church’s era of global correlation and assimilation into mainstream American society, they also entrenched a specific, Northern European aesthetic as the tacit “standard” for divine depiction.
Champoux highlights how this historical reliance on non-LDS, Western European imagery gradually gave way to a more diverse Latter-day Saint artistic movement, while also candidly addressing the institutional and cultural conservatism that occasionally resisted visual innovation.
Diversity, Race, and the Theology of Representation
The volume’s final chapter, authored by Daniel Becerra, shifts from historical exposition to ideological and theological reflection, addressing some of the most sensitive conversations surrounding sacred art. Becerra directly confronts the issue of race and the psychological impact of exclusive Eurocentric portrayals. When a single ethnic presentation of Christ is elevated as universal, it can inadvertently marginalize non-White believers, subtly signaling who belongs at the center of the kingdom and who resides on its periphery.
To resolve this tension, Becerra articulates a compelling case for embracing a two-fold, diverse slate of Christological art, including both historically informed images that honor the actual incarnation of Jehovah as a Galilean Jew and ahistorical / inculturated images that portray Jesus through diverse global cultures and ethnic features (citing contemporary artists such as Rose Datoc Dall, Esther Hi’ilani Candari, Sopheap Nhem, and Michelle Franzoni Thorley).
Becerra argues that far from being heretical or misleading, inculturated depictions honor the universal scope of the Atonement. Just as European Christians have traditionally depicted Christ with European features to understand His proximity to their lives, global Latter-day Saints in Africa, Asia, Polynesia, and Latin America have a theological right to see their own humanity reflected in the Savior. Expanding the Church’s visual vocabulary opens new avenues for revelatory connection, empathy, and personal discipleship.
Conclusion
Picturing Christ is an essential, beautifully executed achievement. By translating high-level art historical and archaeological research into clear, accessible prose, Becerra, Champoux, Ellison, and Grey have created a work that is both academically impeccable and devotionally enriching. It does not shy away from difficult conversations about race and cultural conditioning, but approaches them with charity, pastoral sensitivity, and intellectual integrity. For any Latter-day Saint seeking to deepen their engagement with the New Testament and broaden their spiritual vision of the Savior, this volume is highly recommended.
Grounding the Historical Jesus
The volume opens with a firm historical foundation in Chapter 1, authored by Matthew J. Grey, which tackles the question of what the mortal Jesus of Nazareth likely looked and dressed like. Drawing on first-century Galilean archaeology, ancient Near Eastern textile remains, and Judean material culture, Grey dispels centuries of idealized artistic conventions. He reconstructs the physical realities of a first-century Jewish peasant: the short, unkempt hair typical of Galilean men, the simple wool or linen tunics, the natural-dyed mantles, and the utilitarian leather sandals. By stripping away the Eurocentric, long-haired, serene aesthetic of later Western art, Grey grounds the New Testament narrative in a tangible, historical landscape, demonstrating that what Jesus wore and how He appeared reflected His voluntary subjection to the modest material conditions of His time and place.
In Chapter 2, Mark D. Ellison expands the lens to examine how broader Christian communities portrayed Christ over time. Tracing artistic evolution from early Roman catacomb frescoes—where Christ appears as a youthful Good Shepherd or a philosopher-teacher—through Byzantine mosaics, medieval crucifixes, and Renaissance masterpieces, Ellison demonstrates that every era paints Jesus in its own cultural image. Depictions of the Savior have never been culturally neutral; they reflect the shifting theological anxieties, political contexts, and aesthetic values of the communities that produced them in an effort to portray what Jesus the Christ means to them rather than what he actually looked like.
The Latter-day Saint Visual Tradition
Jennifer Champoux turns the focus inward in Chapter 3, providing an illuminating historical survey of Latter-day Saint artistic depictions of Jesus. Champoux details how, for much of the twentieth century, the institutional Church and its members relied almost exclusively on nineteenth-century European or mid-century Protestant illustrators—most notably Carl Bloch, Heinrich Hofmann, and Harry Anderson. While these works served a vital role in establishing a recognizable, reverent visual brand during the Church’s era of global correlation and assimilation into mainstream American society, they also entrenched a specific, Northern European aesthetic as the tacit “standard” for divine depiction.
Champoux highlights how this historical reliance on non-LDS, Western European imagery gradually gave way to a more diverse Latter-day Saint artistic movement, while also candidly addressing the institutional and cultural conservatism that occasionally resisted visual innovation.
Diversity, Race, and the Theology of Representation
The volume’s final chapter, authored by Daniel Becerra, shifts from historical exposition to ideological and theological reflection, addressing some of the most sensitive conversations surrounding sacred art. Becerra directly confronts the issue of race and the psychological impact of exclusive Eurocentric portrayals. When a single ethnic presentation of Christ is elevated as universal, it can inadvertently marginalize non-White believers, subtly signaling who belongs at the center of the kingdom and who resides on its periphery.
To resolve this tension, Becerra articulates a compelling case for embracing a two-fold, diverse slate of Christological art, including both historically informed images that honor the actual incarnation of Jehovah as a Galilean Jew and ahistorical / inculturated images that portray Jesus through diverse global cultures and ethnic features (citing contemporary artists such as Rose Datoc Dall, Esther Hi’ilani Candari, Sopheap Nhem, and Michelle Franzoni Thorley).
Becerra argues that far from being heretical or misleading, inculturated depictions honor the universal scope of the Atonement. Just as European Christians have traditionally depicted Christ with European features to understand His proximity to their lives, global Latter-day Saints in Africa, Asia, Polynesia, and Latin America have a theological right to see their own humanity reflected in the Savior. Expanding the Church’s visual vocabulary opens new avenues for revelatory connection, empathy, and personal discipleship.
Conclusion
Picturing Christ is an essential, beautifully executed achievement. By translating high-level art historical and archaeological research into clear, accessible prose, Becerra, Champoux, Ellison, and Grey have created a work that is both academically impeccable and devotionally enriching. It does not shy away from difficult conversations about race and cultural conditioning, but approaches them with charity, pastoral sensitivity, and intellectual integrity. For any Latter-day Saint seeking to deepen their engagement with the New Testament and broaden their spiritual vision of the Savior, this volume is highly recommended.
April 10, 2026
"Art may be seen as an expression of faith-a testimony born visually rather than in words." - Daniel Becerra
Art that "features a diversity of cultures and styles also creates more opportunities for connection and inclusion in the global Church."
What an insightful book about Christ in art! I loved walking through history to understand what he may look like through a historical lens as a Jew during his life. Then, I loved exploring Christ in art through the early ages and learning why he may have been pictured in many different ways. I especially loved reading how the LDS perspective of visual art has changed over the years and the history of LDS art. I connected with Becerra's chapter, Diverse Representations of Christ especially. I love that more modern art pictures of Christ portrayed in a myriad of ways are available for me to learn from and strengthen my testimony of my Savior and his mission.
Art that "features a diversity of cultures and styles also creates more opportunities for connection and inclusion in the global Church."
What an insightful book about Christ in art! I loved walking through history to understand what he may look like through a historical lens as a Jew during his life. Then, I loved exploring Christ in art through the early ages and learning why he may have been pictured in many different ways. I especially loved reading how the LDS perspective of visual art has changed over the years and the history of LDS art. I connected with Becerra's chapter, Diverse Representations of Christ especially. I love that more modern art pictures of Christ portrayed in a myriad of ways are available for me to learn from and strengthen my testimony of my Savior and his mission.
July 24, 2026
Fascinating chapters on what Christ likely looked like in ancient Jerusalem, how Christianity began depicting Him as he often looks in modern paintings, and how members of the church of Jesus Christ depict him in artwork.
I was able to go to an in-person lecture with all of the authors present. Amazing researchers and impressive people.
I was able to go to an in-person lecture with all of the authors present. Amazing researchers and impressive people.
May 12, 2026
Fascinating look at how art through the ages has depicted Christ.
July 21, 2026
Most of the books I read I get as ebooks from my libraries, but I read the paper copy of this one, and since it’s an art book, I would recommend reading it that way. This book explores a bit of the history of how Jesus has been depicted in art. It starts looking at Christian art in general and then narrows to focus more on artistic depictions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I’ve wondered for a long time about this subject since I grew up seeing Christ and his disciples depicted almost entirely with white European features, but then I realized that Christ being a Jew from the Palestine era likely didn’t look like a western European. The authors discuss how Christ has been portrayed throughout history and cultures. I liked how in the end the authors conclude that the point of Christian art is to increase the faith of the viewers regardless of the race and features that the artist chooses to portray Christ. I also appreciate the Church’s efforts to show a greater diversity in its art in recent years. As the Church has grown globally, this seems entirely appropriate.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews