The Vatican: All the Paintings is organised and divided into 23 sections representing the museums and areas of the Vatican, including the Pinacoteca, the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, the Borgia Apartments, the Vatican Palaces, St. Peter’s Basilica, and more.

180 of the most iconic and significant paintings and other pieces of art are highlighted with 300-word discussions by art historian Anja Grebe on the key attributes of the work, what to look for when viewing the work, the artist’s inspirations and techniques, biographical information on the artist, the artist’s impact on art history and more. All 1,206 works of art are annotated with the name of the painting and artist, the date of the work, the birth and death dates of the artist, the medium that was used, the size of the work and the catalogue number (if applicable).

The design of the book enables the reader to carefully examine and enjoy the 180 full- and half-page featured paintings as well as the rest of the collection of paintings, which appear four and six to a page. Several gatefolds through the book show triptychs, ceilings and frescos at an even larger size. Larger works of art like ceilings and frescos include overall views and details of the masterpieces.