Before the Bible became the best-selling book in the world, there was a time when most people talked about art to gain knowledge about the Bible. Since in the early ages people are mostly illiterate, art is used to illustrate biblical stories to further propagate the religion. However, some works of art serve as instruments for artists to express their own faith and devotion. Being the wealthiest group, the Church sometimes pays artists to produce artwork for its use. Many common forms of art influenced by religion include sculpture, oil painting, frescoes as well as poetry. It is almost impossible to study Western culture without taking religious influences into account. In ancient Egypt, gods were always depicted in art. Egyptians worshiped the gods for several reasons. In order to achieve longevity and a prosperous harvest, they created art in homage to their God. One pharaoh in particular, Amenhotep IV, was very interested in a monotheistic religion. He changed his name to Akhenaten, meaning "in the name of Aten". Much of what we think of Egyptian art comes from its Amarna period. The most common theme of their sculpture is worship. These sculptures usually depict Akhenaten standing before an altar, offering something to Aten with Nefertiti and her daughters standing behind him. Even in the scene of the royal family, one can still find traces of religious aspect in a sculpture. Although this style of sculpture quickly died out due to the reign of his son Tutankhamun, the religion continues to influence later Egyptian art. Some of the most famous artists today come from the High Renaissance period. Almost everyone knows the works of Michelangelo by Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino or...... middle of paper ...... Airy Mary instead of an older woman . Although the statue was commissioned for a wealthy Frenchman, Michelangelo is able to incorporate some of his own understanding and dedication into the statue. Instead of showing the pain on Jesus' face, Michelangelo chooses to emphasize Jesus' abandonment following Jesus' death. Another of his works is the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel which strongly represents the High Renaissance art movement. It will take him approximately five years to complete this enormous work. The chart contains 9 stories from the book of Genesis, including the separation of light and darkness, the creation of the sun, moon and earth, the separation of earth and water, the creation of Adam , the creation of Eve, the temptation and the expulsion. , Noah's sacrifice, the great flood and Noah's drunkenness. The most recognized images