The Bible in Photography: Index, Icon, Tableau, Vision

Sheona Beaumont explores the hidden spirituality of photography through biblical themes, revealing how stories, characters, and symbols permeate advertising, reportage, art, and photographers' words. She introduces four terms: index, icon, tableau, and vision, and discusses selected fine art photography that portrays the Bible in unexpected ways, from the 19th-century works of William Henry Fox Talbot to contemporary pieces by David Mach. By combining images and theology, Beaumont demonstrates the Bible's dynamic and influential presence in photography and enriches visual culture criticism with a deeper religious understanding.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 22 February 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Sheona Beaumont delves into the untold story of biblical subjects in photography, contending that narratives, characters, and symbols from the Bible permeate various realms of visual practice, including advertising, reportage, literature, galleries, theoretical discourse, and the words of photographers themselves. Beaumont employs interpretive tools from biblical reception studies, art history, and visual culture criticism to propose four terms for describing the latent spirituality in photography: the index, the icon, the tableau, and the vision. Throughout her exploration, she includes lively discussions of selected fine art photographs that engage with the Bible in unexpected ways, spanning from the 19th-century works of William Henry Fox Talbot to the contemporary creations of David Mach. Rather than presenting a secular narrative, Beaumont delves into the theological depth of photography and its representations. She skillfully intertwines discussions of the images and theology, advocating for the dynamic and powerful voice of the Bible in photography and enriching visual culture criticism with a renewed religious understanding.

Dimension: 246 x 189 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780567706539