Art And The Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation was one of the first times in history that the power and authority of the Pope was challenged. With the Protestant Reformation came a switch from public to private artwork. One major innovation that facilitated this change was the printing press. The printing press was responsible for the distribution of the 95 theses which is what first led to the questioning of the Popes authority. The printing press also allowed art to be reproduced, a quality that was very important to Protestants and their ability to keep artwork private within their homes.
Reformation art, such as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, is a great example of how artwork from Protestant Reform is targeted specifically to individuals who are protestant.