Catholica: The Visual Culture of Catholicism

by Suzanna Ivanic

This richly illustrated book provides the visual keys for any art lover to decode and understand the iconography, tenets, sites, and rituals of the Catholic faith through accessible analysis of its visual and material culture. Focusing on a carefully curated selection of Catholic art and artifacts, this volume explores the influence of iconography and the mystic power of a range of ritual objects. Expert Suzanna Ivanic identifies hidden visual symbols in paintings and examines them close-up, building a catalog of key symbols for readers to use to interpret Catholic art and culture. Catholica is organized into three sections―”Tenet,” “Locus,” and “Spiritus”―each with three themed subdivisions. Part one introduces the centerpieces of the faith, surveying symbolism in the artistic representation of the holy family, apostles, and saints in stories from scripture. The second part examines places of worship, identifying the essential elements of the cathedral and presenting evocative images of roadside shrines. The third part explores celebrations and traditions, in addition to personal devotional tools and jewelry. For each of the nine central themes of the faith, introductory text is followed by pages that look in-depth at paintings and artifacts, identifying and explaining the symbolism and stories depicted. As the book progresses, readers build up their knowledge of the entire Catholic visual code―the symbols that define Catholic practice, the attributes of the saints, the parts of the cathedral―allowing them to interpret all Catholic imagery and objects wherever they find them and consequently to better understand the tenets, sites, and rituals of this faith. 400 color illustrations

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Religion, History, Art History, Christianity, Christian

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Lecturer in Early Modern European History
Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity, University of Kent. She gained her BA from the University of Cambridge in 2007 and went on to work for international classical musicians in artist management. Focusing on Central Europe, Suzanna’s broad research interests span religion, material and visual culture, and travel. She has published on amulets, religious objects, and religion in the domestic sphere, and articles on a pilgrimage travelogue.

Reviews

[Lobo]

Znacznie mniej merytorycznego tekstu niż się spodziewałam, ale i tak bardzo przydatna, aby pisać biblijnie akuratne fiki o satanistycznym szwedzkim zespole. Opracowanie graficzne powala.

[Amy Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having studied Italian Catholic art, I was excited to see that a book on the global culture of Catholicism had been published. The author has selected a wide range of objects to illustrate how believers have celebrated and practiced their faith since it’s creation. From personal devotional objects such as rosaries to vast and lavishly decorated cathedrals, this book takes you on a sensuous spiritual journey to better understand religious traditions. As is typical of Thames & Hudson books, this compact volume is beautifully designed and packed with images. My only wish is that it had more in it. It could have delved more deeply into the different variations of the religion, particularly those that fused Catholicism with their own pre-Christian traditions, or highlighted particular artists and their influence on visual culture.

[Margaret Gipson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. It made me want more Catholic art for my home and more religious jewelry in my collection, made me *almost* want a tattoo, and definitely made me want a copy of this book for my coffee table.

[Catherine Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated throughout, a visual treat.

[Jacob Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Lucky to live in a cathedral city steeped in pre-reformarion history and piqued my interest in global Catholicism. A positive outlook on the topic which is to be expected, but important to reflect on its negatives/restraints in modern-day society.

[Maïa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richly illustrated and well-written, Catholica offers an accessible analysis of catholic art.

This book really appeals to all the senses and manages to immerse the reader in a spiritual and sacred ambiance, with really nice pictures to illustrate the point, exploring different types of art, from architecture to paintings, including sculptures, engravings, illuminated pages, to amazingly crafted everyday objects. The disposition of the images also created a pleasant and harmonious work to flip through.
What I also really liked about Catholica are the numerous short highlights, which allowed a quick focus on one particular topic, such as a category of objects or a painting which depicts a particular point.

In addition, I found that there was a perfect balance between the images and the text. To me that’s one of the strong points of this book, because I sometimes get a little frustrated when I flip through an art book because of the lack of substance to accompany the pictures. I like to be able to read about the images I’m seeing and get more substantial information, but it really comes down to a personal preference.

The book is written in a very clear and comprehensive way, ideal to dive into the topic of sacred iconography and art, without getting into very complex terminology or explanations that could be too precise for an unacquainted reader . Which doesn’t mean that the book doesn’t offer a thorough explanation. Indeed, the author Susanna Ivanic goes through all kinds of arts, as mentioned earlier, and also through different ages, places and cultures, from the apparition of catholicism to this day. She also does a great job at reviewing the impact that different conflicts within the Church had on artistic production, the evolution of the perception of sacred art , the way it was used in order to spread the Church’s message among the faithful, how it adapted to different cultures throughout the expansion of catholicism across the world, and so on.

In a nutshell, Catholica is the perfect mix between a nice coffee-table book to flip through and an enthralling study of catholic art. A book I’d definitely recommend to all of you who love art, symbolism,and overall beautiful things.

[Rebecca Hearne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet pics

[Tim Pendry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thames & Hudson have produced a superb and readable guide to Catholic culture in all its distinctiveness, emphasising a little perhaps the Catholicism Triumphant of the Hispanic World over the Catholicism of the Martyred and the Militant.

It is encyclopedic. It will be merely an aide memoire with superb illustrations for most people raised in a Catholic environment - nostalgic perhaps for lapsed or 'recovering' or atheistic Catholics - but it should give a rounded and sympathetic account of the culture to anyone outside it.

What the author Suzanna Ivanic, a Czech-origin academic scholar of religiosity, gives us is a sense of the totalitarian nature of High Catholicism and how it employed the arts as a full-bodied sensorium embracing every aspect of life both now and in the hereafter.

I can well envisage a similar book on the much shorter human experience of High Socialism or on the longer one of Buddhism - belief systems that extended from theory to controlling institutional structures and thence entering into both social and private life using image and the senses to do so.

One can see why the Protestant North feared Catholicism much as America feared Communism. Wherever it took hold 'triumphant', it demanded a totality of engagement that extended not only from the cradle to the grave but from the city and guild down to the innermost thought.

And it was often a beautiful system both in theory and in practice even if it became gaudy and tacky at the level of the 'volk'. Some of the greatest works of humanity were produced in the service of this totality. The book gives us a context for such art and the art itself .

Ivanic does not try to do too much (Catholics themselves may well find things they did not know but not too many such things). The text is far from academic. A lot of the work is, like the subject of the book, about showing rather than telling and this proves refreshing.

She themes her tale from the text (the belief system's intellectual core) through its heroes who explicate the text through to the clerical structures that hold everything together as a total working system.

She then looks at the role of the cathedral as show place for faith, at devotion in the home, pilgrimage and carnival, the communal aspects of Catholicism, Catholic spirituality in the individual and, finally, that sensorium of experience that so upsets the Protestant mind set.

Images range from third century wall paintings to a twenty-first Valentino dress via artists from Bosch and Breugel through Caravaggio and Velasquez and Zurbaran through to those minor artists who still maintain the iconography in the age of scepticism and the modern.

'Great works' and exemplars are effectively used to explain key Catholic concepts and experiences ranging from The Last Judgement, the Saints and Cathedral Facades through to Calvary, the Sacraments and Prayer. The whole becomes a full education into an alien, recalled or felt culture.

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5, goodreads once again i am asking for half stars) when i saw this book in la halle saint-pierre, i knew i just had to get my hand on a copy once i was back in the states (for i needed an english version bien sûr) but ummmm this didn't really live up to the hyperfixation i'd prematurely awarded it

while i do think it is a decent introduction to catholicism and its imagery (and would be a great starting point if you don't know a lot about either), i wish it had gone deeper. admittedly i was yearning for analysis of catholic [fine] art only to realize that this was about ....the visual culture of catholicism (i.e., stained glass acting as the bible for the medieval illiterate laity; how the architecture of cathedrals and the works that furnish it stimulate the senses to create a uniquely catholic experience)

i feel as though the lack of analysis is largely due to the attempt to cover a wide range of topics, but it becomes borderline dangerous when approaching topics having to do with catholicism's colonial history. this was a particularly jarring quote:

"Catholicism has been fully fused with Mexican culture and identity. The movement of people around the world through conquest, empire, mission, slavery and mercantilism has led to myriad cultural influences that determine Catholic festivals today. The resulting explosions of colour, sound, movement and piety attest to the brilliance of this mixing.

the very casual and blasé mention of "conquest, empire, mission, [and] slavery" without further discussion is absolutely mind boggling. large parts of the world, and some of the most concentrated catholic populations outside of vatican city and continental europe are a direct consequence of violent colonialism (that was often justified in the name of god and the church). and there are some mentions and examples of fusions of catholicism with indigenous religions, but it's just very off putting how it's glossed over.

one last pet peeve: i detest how, more often than not, double page spreads came in broke up a sentence.

overall, a good jumping off point for those who want to learn more about catholicism and catholic art, and while it gently scratched the itch, the deeper analysis just wasn't there for me.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gorgeous exploration of catholic art, touching on a wide variety of art forms, styles, topics, and mediums. As someone who knows only the very basics about christian scripture, this book did a great job of explaining the common narratives, rituals, and motifs featured in catholic art. A fantastic balance of text to images, and the pages were laid out in a sleek, modern fashion that was easy to follow.

I will say, there are some things about this book that I was a little ‘iffy’ on. When the text strayed from strictly art history to just general history, (which wasn’t super often) the language was, unsurprisingly, very positive about christianity and it’s colonial history. There seemed to be a very favourable opinion held about christian missionaries and colonists, which was kind of yucky to me. Also, and this is really just nitpicking, there were multiple times where the author referenced purported miracles and divinely supernatural events as if they were 100% academically accepted fact, and not historical conjecture. Throwing in an “allegedly” would have gone a long way.

Overall though, I liked it!

[Joseph Metrano · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s beautifully designed—a great book to have on the shelf or out on a coffee table. Despite the antique subject matter, the book utilizes very sleek typefaces and layouts. I wouldn’t say the writing itself was exquisite though, perhaps because she’s unpacking two millennia of visual culture in just under 250 pages. I wasn’t a big fan at first of the way she organized the chapters by theme instead of chronologically; a let of me still wishes she had done that (it’s just how my mind works), but there’s something to be said for the way she did it. Not all parts of the Catholic world were experiencing the same artistic trends at the same time(s), so themes effectively or organize this large amount of information.

[Hailee Talbot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great reference for Catholic symbolism and meanings behind Catholic art and architecture. I grew up goi my to a catholic school but still felt like I learned a whole lot reading this. The text in this book feels very reverent of Catholicism and it’s history while also giving us room to make our own judgements and enjoy the book even if we don’t follow or agree with everything. I was also pleasantly surprised with the inclusion of basic history of religion adjacent to Catholicism, so the featured art and design made sense. Good read if you like learning about religion, history, and/or art!!

[Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good overview of the main elements in catholic visual culture accompanied by stunning and well-curated images. I'd categorize this as very introductory and it didn't teach me anything I wasn't already aware of, but it was still an entertaining and engaging read.

Funnily enough, the fact that the physical book is itself a beautiful object about catholicism makes it quite meta since it could've perfectly been included as part of its own content. If I'd been the author, I wouldn't have been able to resist putting an image of my own book on the last page for shits and giggles, but I guess that explains why I don't write books lol.

[Maria Reagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! The quality art prints are worth the price alone. Just a beautiful overview of the enduring, evolving, endless font of creativity and artistry that Catholicism inspires whether today in Japan or Peru, or medieval Europe or 2nd century Ethiopia. I think Ivanic subtly pinpoints the unique Catholic sensibility through time and space to constantly and creatively embue the material with the supernatural.

[Lauren (Pip) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The pretty pictures are nice to look at, Mr Giles, but one ought to read the words underneath them too."

I mean, it's very well-rounded and comprehensive, but it's obviously not for Catholics, but instead people interested in Catholicism from a purely objective, exhibitional view. It spells out the basic tenets of faith, but that's about it.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book through text, pictures, and art teaches the visual culture of Catholicism. For Catholics, it reminds us what we learned as children and elevates our knowledge to an in-depth adult level. For non-Catholics, it serves as an easily readable introduction to the sights, sounds, textures, and rituals within the Catholic faith. I give this my highest recommendation.

[Sarah Schoenbine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It reminds me of a masters thesis and the imagery is absolutely gorgeous. It is written without assuming anything of the reader yet is not patronizing. I would highly recommend to anyone interested in Christianity, art, or especially the intersection of the two.

[Greg Kozak · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great survey of Catholic art and traditions! A robust and well selected set of pieces. The only downside is that many of the images are too small to allow appreciation of the piece being reflected on.

[Sy A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous. I do wish there was a section on poses or more on iconography, but I suppose I could find specialty books on that subject. I would love to own a copy of this book. It's a must-read for those in the religious space.

[Anna Sellheim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is beautiful and full of gorgeous art. However, the sourcing for the images is SO poorly done, it's bizarre from a professional lecturer. There is even formatting for sources, but she'll say that something was gotten off a tumblr with no additional information. It's bizarre

[Reggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good combination of visuals and text. Learned a lot about the different areas of devotional art in Catholicism. An interesting read!

[Lex · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I had an ARC and a few of the pages were out of order. But aside from that, I really enjoyed the book.

[Chewingcigarettes · Rating 5 out of 5]

And now I know how Joan of Arc felt.

[Jenina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drawing the sacred to ourselves

[Sandra Buerger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely lovely book. A fascinating overview of catholic art from ancient times to modern times. Beautiful illustrations and interesting insights.