The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art

Meg Herriot reviews an art history book by Elizabeth Lev that focuses on artistic portrayals of a favorite saint.

The Silent Knight: A History of St. Joseph as Depicted in Art

By Elizabeth Lev

Published by Sophia Institute Press

Whether you are looking for a Christmas gift idea, a coffee table book, or a retreat into the spiritual gifts of Saint Joseph, this book is a great place to start. 

I am admittedly very far from being an art historian and artist (my abilities consist of drawing stick figures). Sometimes, the language of art history and enjoying art beyond the emotional responses I have are a foreign language to me. 

A Journey Through Time

Elizabeth Lev does a great job of combining history, a sense of humor, wonderful photos of artwork, and a spiritual basis into a journey through time. 

In The Silent Knight, she asks the reader to “Find images that excite both prayer and emulation, the true purpose of religious art, according to the Council of Trent.” 

As history changed and the Church’s veneration of Saint Joseph grew, the artwork grew. The author travels through early times when Saint Joseph was a figure in the background, to the times when the Franciscans and Dominicans promoted Saint Joseph in the arts, to medieval times when sometimes he would be portrayed as a man who lent himself to humor and “the wiling butt of medieval jokes.” While one saint protested that some of these depictions were disrespectful, it was a way of making Saint Joseph more accessible to the average person and help them enter into worship. Saint Joseph and his story are a guide to humility for all of us.  

I’ve really enjoyed this book and am glad I wasn’t overly intimidated by it. I was attracted to it because it was about Saint Joseph, and I loved the title. I’m so happy to have been able to journey with this art historian through a spiritually rich and not at all boring or scarily academic pursuit. 

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Copyright 2025 Meg Herriot
Images: Canva