The Lucian account of the life of Jesus is arguably alone ‘among the gospels’ in giving the reader a glance beneath ‘the veil that shrouds the thirty years of our Lord’s life between his Birth and his Baptism.’ The unique nature of this Gospel sets it apart and makes it a particularly important text to the 1.2 billion followers of Roman Catholicism, and Christianity more generally. The character of Mary appears within Luke’s Gospel narrative, particularly during the infancy narrative of Jesus. Mary has been, and continues to be, an important person of devotion within the Roman Catholic tradition. Mary is referred to as a ‘powerful protectress’ and her intercession is held in high regard though the prolific use of the Rosary within Catholic prayer and devotion. Due to Mary’s status it is important to study the Gospel narratives in which she is a protagonist, and the ways in which people of different periods have interpreted these texts. As a Catholic myself, I have been particularly intrigued by Mary’s prominent role in Catholic theology and teaching, but also outside the remits of the Church. The figure of Mary features frequently in art galleries across Europe and it is this area that I will investigate in this dissertation. The aim is to comparatively explore the Lucan account of Mary with particular artistic depictions of Mary from the Renaissance to draw out the significance and effect of translating text to image. The period of the Renaissance holds particular importance when studying the medium of art alongside theology, and more particularly for the figure of Mary. The ‘escalation of private prayer and devotion in the fourteenth and fifteenth century is one of the major developments of the period.’ This movement sparked an interest in paintings allowing believers to ‘personalise their religious experience’ and ‘created a visual environment for personal prayer and meditation.’ ‘Every renaissance comes to the world with a cry, the cry of the human spirit to be free.’ The phenomenon of the Renaissance ...