Protestant Reformation And Art: Amid The Middle Ages

The Reformation and Art

Amid the Middle Ages, The Catholic Church had unfathomable control over Western Europe. Their authority was over the souls of men, selling indulgences for those that already died, so that they to would be spared, saying works are a genuine way to God. But not only in the spiritual realm did they have power; kings, queens, and private land owners had to consult the church in all manner of things, from war to marriages, that's why when Martin Luther came saying, the church and Pope were fiat, and had no claim over the spiritual order, an important event happened. The Protestant Reformation was one not only of the church, but of politics and art. It all really started with Martian Luther, and his The Ninety-Five Theses
Latin was a language of scholars and priests, so when it was finally translated into a common, everyday spoken language, it spread like wild fire. Now that the Bible was is the hands of the people, this is when one could say The Protestant Reformation really began. Various denominations started to spring up, and scripture was used to justify diverse social reforms, often violent, leading to riots, and blood shed. During this time people like John Calvin started to notice the extravagant art in Catholic cathedrals saying things like, “This brutish stupidity... men longing after visual forms of God and so forming deities of wood and stone, silver and gold... we must hold it as a first principle that as often as any form is assigned to God, His glory is corrupted by an impious lie.” 1 quoting Exodus 20:4, “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” (NIV). Thus, art was often stripped from Cathedrals, saying it's idol
They took into account accusations of the indulgences; and in general, it was a reconstruction of Catholic doctrine, and beliefs. Given this, this meeting, and The Reformation as a whole had grave affects on art-no longer, was Holy Figures depicted in luxurious mannerist was as it was during the Renaissance , but took more of a common, almost history book like approach to art. Statements are often made along the lines of "The decrees of the Council of Trent stipulated that art was to be direct and compelling in its narrative presentation, that it was to provide an accurate presentation of the biblical narrative or saint’s life, rather than adding incidental and imaginary moments, and that it was to encourage piety" 5,