Expressions of Jesus: Cultural Representations of the Savior of the World

This one-of-a-kind curated collection of artwork showcases images of Jesus Christ from various cultures throughout history and from around the world.

No one throughout history has been depicted in art as much as Jesus Christ has. Billions of people believe Him to be the Savior of the world, and the impact He has had on the world remains indelibly rooted in people’s hearts and reaches to the far corners of the world. This unique collection of art has been curated to assist anyone who seeks to create a connection with Jesus Christ, regardless of background or religion.

Some of the earliest known images of Jesus Christ depicted a short man, around five feet five inches tall, clean-shaven, with olive skin tone and short, curly hair. But as Christianity began to be accepted in Europe, anti-Semitism was taking hold, so artists purposefully painted Jesus with whiter skin and more European features.

But throughout time, many artists continued to create images of Jesus in ways that represented their own culture or as a more accurate representation of a typical first-century eastern-Mediterranean man. Artistic representation creates a sense of belonging and identity, and whether Jesus Christ is depicted as Māori, Chinese, Tongan, Swedish, Mexican, Native American, Cameroonian, or African, His message is the same. He calls all of us to love one another and come unto Him to find rest and peace. Ultimately, what He looks like in artistic depictions is not nearly as important as the message that it is by Him and through Him that we will be saved forever. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).