Women of the Bible

This pictorial album of 20 women of the Bible, from Eve to Mary, celebrated for their courage, their independence of spirit and the stories that surround them. For centuries, these women have figured prominently in art and culture as symbols of courage and strength: Judith, elegantly portrayed by Giorgoine, saves her city by killing the enemy, General Holofernes; and the innocence of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, shines out from Fillippo Lippi's tender painting of mother and child. The stories of Delilah, Salome and Bathsheba illustrate beauty's power to deceive and enslave.

Temptresses, heroines, saviours of their people - the women of the Bible springs to life in this collection of great portraits, matched with Carole Armstrong's re-tellings.

Each spread carries a brief commentary on the painting shown, and full details appear in the four-page picture index.