Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians all share the belief that every human being has a guardian angel watching over him or her. Muslims believe that each person has four angels, malaa’ika – two recording their good deeds, the other two, their bad. Angels, the Bible and art. In this article, different depictions of angels in art are present along with the Bible passages that inspired them.
Angels, art and the Bible
There are many stories in the Bible featuring angels. And these stories have inspired great pieces of art. We take a look at some well-known pieces of angel-art with a note of the passage in the Bible that inspired that artwork.
Angels guarding the Garden of Eden:
Genesis 3:20-24
Jacob’s ladder:
Genesis 28:10-12
Archangel Raphael discloses his identity:
Tobit 12:11-22
An angel shuts the lions’ mouths:
Daniel 6:16-22
Archangel Gabriel’s announcement of the Incarnation:
Luke 1:26-38
An angel warns Joseph to flee:
Matthew 2:13-15
An angel comforts Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane:
Luke 22:41-45
Angels inside Jesus’ tomb:
John 20:11-17
Christ in the Sepulchre, William Blake, c. 1805, Source: WikiArt
An angel frees Peter from prison:
Acts 12:6-10
Archangel Michael Vanquishing Satan:
Revelation 12:7-9
Source
Image Source: Wiki Art, Wikimedia Commons
