Why are there no artworks depicting Jesus Christ done during his life on earth?

Question

I do not want to set up a faith debate. I simply am curious as to why someone so prolific in His time was never shown in any artworks, statues etc that can be dated to when He walked the earth. There have been plenty of guess work by artists since His death. Surely at a time when the Romans were big on statues and frescoes, there would have been artists who converted to Christianity who would have depicted Him in their works don't you think?

Answer 1

well the thing is that jesus wasn't particularly prolific during his lifetime. it wasn't until many years after he was crucified that he became a public figure

also, very few art works from that long ago have survived to the present day. the sculptural period which you mentioned in your question actually took place about 1000-1500 years after jesus died

Answer 2

The best explanation that anyone has come up with is simply the fact that it was probably forbidden by the Romans. He was a thorn in their side (hence they crucified him) After his death or disappearance (whichever you believe) people were not allowed to even talk about him much less depict him. His apostles continued his teachings in secret because they didn't want to suffer the same fate. Anything depicting him would have been destroyed. Also you have to take into account that his homeland was populated almost entirely by jews (he was a jew himself), therefore when he started his new religion it was not accepted by the majority of people he would have seen in every day life. He was very much in the minority during his time. Christianity didn't really catch on until several hundred years later, therefore the man or the myth (whichever he may have been), was not held in the regard then that he is now

Answer 3

Have you considered what you are asking? How many paintings are there extant from 2,000 years ago? And in fact a bronze age temple had been discovered in Bulgaria with well preserved paintings of Jesus and Mary. Jesus' life is well documented not just by his followers but by roman officials of the day and the scribes of the pharisees. To the silly person who believes he is a myth, get a grip. His existence is a fact of history.

Answer 4

As I understand it, he wasn't actually that big while he was alive. (After all, he only had 12 disciples!) He was just getting popular when he was executed. Kind of like James Dean or Kurt Cobain, this made him a 'legend'.

Christianity became really big later on when the Romans got into it, which also explains why there are not so many Christians around Jesus's old stomping grounds.

Answer 5

Would it be because of the same philosophy that had before Jesus, that God did not reveal himself to human because man would start making a statue or art or him and start worshiping it.
Sorry I do not have belief in Jesus, but this is what I think.

Answer 6

um... probably because the jews hated him. that would stop some painting. It's weird. also, jesus wasn't popular with the 'higher level' of gov (like Romans, probably, and the Jews)... soo to make a sculpture of him (which was usually done of important figures) would be.... controversal in that time.

Answer 7

What about the movie Passion of the Christ? That's a form of art.

Answer 8

Same reason there are no paintings of Sasquatch in his time, Jesus is a myth.

Answer 9

good question

the again would there have been any prevelant jewish artists during that time, or was there a risk of persicution to do those paintings

or more so was he made up or the paintings destroyed after his death?

real good q.... thanks