This illustrated lecture will address the relatively late emergence of depictions of the cross and Christ’s crucifixion in Christian art. It will focus on how these subjects were depicted and developed from their first appearance in the late fourth century to their elaboration in the western Middle Ages. Among the themes considered are the appearance of the suffering Christ, the Cross as the Tree of Life, and the significance of the discovery of the relics of the cross for the visual art and devotional practices of medieval Christians.

Robin Margaret Jensen, the Patrick O’Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame (USA) is affiliated also with the University’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design and its Medieval Institute. Author of several books on the history of Christian art and architecture, her teaching and research integrates historical theology and liturgical practices with the visual arts and built environments for Christian worship through time and across space.