Life of Jesus

This artistic introduction takes readers through Jesus' life--from the Annunciation to the Resurrection--as depicted in some of the masterpieces of Western art. Among them are Raphael's ""The Transfiguration of Christ,"" da Vinci's ""The Last Supper"" and van Eyck's ""The Crucifixion."" The book's large format (9 and 5/8 inches by 13 inches) allows for generous reproductions of the art, permitting readers to linger on tiny artistic details that would not be easily visible in smaller editions. Here, for example, we can read the Greek letters issuing from Gabriel's mouth during the Annunciation, or investigate the enamel and pearl decorations that adorn a Byzantine eucharistic chalice. The brief commentaries are truly helpful and are geared for the beginner, as are the author biographies and timeline at the back of the book. This is a lovely, full-color primer. (June)