Mormon art

Mormon art comprises all visual art created to depict the principles and teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), as well as art deriving from the inspiration of an artist’s LDS religious views. Mormon art includes painting, sculpture, quilt work, photography, graphic art, and other mediums, and shares common attributes reflecting Latter-day Saint teachings and values.

Numerous thematic components may be found in Mormon art. These range from being only inclusive of the Mormon faith to the simple underlying theme of spirituality that a Mormon artist attempts to render in a landscape or more general subject matter.

Most Mormon art is both Christian-themed and specific to the Mormon faith. It includes biblical depictions from the Old Testament and the life of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, as well as Book of Mormon scenes and the history of the LDS Church. Many of these LDS historical accounts depicted in art include, what Mormons believe to be, the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus in the mid-19th century, scenes from the life of Joseph Smith, Jr. such as his First Vision and his death, and the migration of the Mormon pioneers from Nauvoo, Illinois to Utah. LDS gospel principles, values, and the teachings of the church are also important art themes, especially to the latter half of the 20th century. These are often represented literally or allegorically as in landscape paintings representing spirituality, personal inspiration, God’s love, and the wonders of God.

Although the most common themes in Mormon art are historical and principle-based, specific to the LDS faith, the decade following the founding of the church on April 6 1830, and continuing on through the end of second half of the 19th century, revealed little of these themes. Most artists who converted to the Mormon faith came from England and primarily exercised their talents by depicting the surrounding landscapes of the Mormon pioneer migration route. Their British art education concentrated on the traditional English Romantic style and theme rather than genre and historical themes. These themes are a rarity during the initial growth of the church. One of the few exceptions that strays from this category of Romantic art is a painting by William Armitage (1817–1890) of London. The painting depicts LDS founder Joseph Smith preaching to the Native Americans, and was commissioned by the church for the Salt Lake Temple.

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