Book of Mormon paintings.

There once was an artist who designed the historical costumes for the lead stars in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments.  He painted a series of 15 paintings for the film, and his efforts earned him an Academy Award nomination.

This artist went on to paint the famous The Prayer at Valley Forge, showing George Washington knelling beside his horse ..

.. and a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

[Images via http://www.fribergfineart.com/]

This artists’ name was Arnold Friberg (1913-2010), and he also painted a series of 12 paintings for the Friend magazine in the 1950s, each portraying Friberg’s interpretation of key events in The Book of Mormon.

After completing the paintings, Friberg wrote: “My own understanding and appreciation of the Book of Mormon has been immeasurably increased. … The great personalities who walk through its pages have become alive and real, and of immense stature.” [1]

Most Mormons have grown up with these larger-than-life images all around them.  In fact, these paintings have been printed in copies on The Book of Mormon, after its title page.

As part of this month’s Forum, I will be looking at each painting – the people and events illustrated – and what Friberg is saying in each of the moments he chose to illustrate from The Book of Mormon.

Stay tuned ...

... and continue to think up questions that The Book of Mormon can answer.


Painting One posted here.
Painting Two posted here.
Painting Three posted here.
Painting Four posted here.
Painting Five posted here.
Painting Six posted here.
Painting Seven posted here.
Painting Eight posted here.

These paintings are permanently on display in the Conference Centre in Salt Lake City, Utah.




If you wish to order a free copy, let me know or click here.
Feel free to read or listen to it here.


[1] Children’s Friend, December 1952, pages 496, 522
http://lds.org/liahona/1992/08/the-book-of-mormon-paintings-by-arnold-friberg?lang=eng