Imagining Heaven: Depictions of the Afterlife in World Art Across the Millennia

Over the centuries and across Earth, humans have conjured images--the stuff of dreams, convictions, and ardent desire--to describe our afterlife. The vision of heaven as seen in the mind's eye can appear as simple as a place among the stars or as complex as a universe filled with a multitude of busy souls. Positioned at the intersection of art, religion, and culture, this book sheds new light on human creativity in its portrayal of the afterlife. Beginning with prehistoric burial objects that help with one's heavenly needs, it travels through time to probe ancient texts, examine enigmatic carvings, dissect the meaning of intricate paintings, and discuss contemporary perspectives in film and media. It demonstrates that humans around the world have always had the capacity to confront the "final frontier" in spirited, hopeful, and beautiful ways.