Life of the Virgin

Crucifixion, Descent from the Cross, Lamentation of Christ, Betrayal of Christ, Pilate washing his hands, Christ bearing the Cross, Presentation of Christ in the Temple, Finding in the Temple, from a 15th-century Book of Hours

The Life of the Virgin, showing narrative scenes from the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a common subject for pictorial cycles in Christian art, often complementing, or forming part of, a cycle on the Life of Christ. In both cases the number of scenes shown varies greatly with the space available. Works may be in any medium: frescoed church walls and series of old master prints have many of the fullest cycles, but panel painting, stained glass, illuminated manuscripts, tapestries, stone sculptures and ivory carvings have many examples.