Oľga Danglová
The decorative use of sacral figural themes based on the biblical stories of the Old and New Testaments holds a long tradition in Europe. In the 16th century, objects bearing patterns of Christian symbols were a necessity for the aristocratic and middle classes. Some figural topics and motifs of guild crafts were also used later in the folk environment. Figural topics and decorations were passed around at events, markets and religious feasts. From the wide range of art topics, mainly those most intensively promoted by the Catholic Church were used: the Virgin Mary, pieta, The Holy Trinity, Calvary, the Crucifixion and the Saints. They were mainly used on pictures painted on glass, small statues and statues standing by roadsides and ceramics, but rarely on wood carvings, furniture painting, wall paintings or embroidery. Generally speaking, there is little contemporary return to sacral topics.