cover image Stories from the New Testament: With Masterwork Paintings Inspired by the Stories

Stories from the New Testament: With Masterwork Paintings Inspired by the Stories

King James Bible. Simon & Schuster, $18 (48pp) ISBN 978-0-689-81297-2

Sumptuous reproductions of religious paintings grace the pages of this family treasury. Passages from the King James Version of the Bible--recounting such New Testament events as the miracle at the wedding of Cana, the Last Supper and Jesus' subsequent conviction, crucifixion and resurrection--appear on the left of each spread. Each facing page showcases a painting--by the likes of Titian, Caravaggio and Botticelli--that illustrates the text. Italian Renaissance architecture and wild, sweeping landscapes are but two of the settings for the figures of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Lazarus and the Virgin Mary, among others. A short index of paintings provides specifications on the original works as well as backgrounds on the painters. All ages. (Oct.)