Faces of St. Augustine

Discover the many faces of St. Augustine of Hippo in this inspiring exhibition, where art brings his life and message into focus. Born in 354 AD in North Africa, Augustine has had a profound and lasting impact on the Church, Christianity, theology, philosophy, and religious communities and missionaries around the world and in every context. 

From the earliest known image of Augustine, dating back to the 6th century, to traditional iconography and contemporary works like An Unlikely Aquilegia: North African Saint of Hippo, commissioned by Villanova University in 2022, each piece reflects the enduring portrayal of Augustine and the communities his legacy has impacted. 

For centuries, European Christian art often depicted biblical and early Christian figures with European features, regardless of their geographic and ethnic origins. Whether depicted with his restless heart, bishop’s miter and crosier, Rule of Life, or the divine illumination of Christ’s light, explore how centuries of artists have interpreted the person of Augustine and his message of Truth, Unity, and Love.