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The use and appreciation of art in religion
The use and appreciation of art in religion
Art during the counter reformation
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Religious Artwork: The Manipulator of Faith
Certain things in life speak louder than words. Although ironic, this is the basis of art. Throughout history, art has changed the way people perceive ideas, feel about ideas and even act towards certain ideas. Art has the innate power to evoke emotion in the public: both positive and negative. It’s this gift that makes art beautiful. Although there is always room for interpretation, the artist has a significant grasp on the viewer’s emotions. A painter is a skillful craftsman at forcing one to view things in thon’s way without the viewer even becoming aware of his manipulation. Unquestionably, this remarkable ability of art has been taken advantage of by institutions such as the Church; it occurs most often through times of crises such as the Counter Reformation.
Domenico Theotocopuli, 1541-1614, otherwise “known as ‘The Greek’—El Griego or El Greco — holds a high place amongst the worthies of Toledo” (Maxwell29). His native town is, thus his name, in Greece. Unfortunately though, there is not much evidence or documentation of his early years. For instance, who is biological parents are still remains a mystery to historians (El Greco Bio). On the other hand, El Greco’s later path to his artistic throne in Toledo is traceable to specific details.
In the 1560s, El Greco retired from Greece, where he was an icon-maker, to Venice— the beginning of his artistic training. In Venice El Greco falls under the influence of masters such as Titian and Tintoretto. A decade later, El Greco becomes acquainted with Michelangelo in Rome. He too influences El Greco’s artistic style but only to an extent where El Greco’s style is distinct. Subsequently, Domenico makes his last move of his caree...
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...es, the public is more prone to behave in a righteous manner. This occurs in our unconscious which functions as a “king of giant computer that quickly and quietly processes a lot of data” (Gladwell 11). Therefore, one is never even aware that thon is being manipulated. Whether or not this is a method of unethical brainwashing needs further research. What cannot be denied, however, is that the Church is a powerful institution with art as its weapon.
Works Cited
"El Greco." Art and Culture. 26 Sept. 2006 .
"El Greco Bio." ABC Gallery. 27 Sept. 2006 .
Gladwell, Malcolm. Blink. 1st ed. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2005. 11.
Maxwell, William S. Stories of the Spanish Artists. London: Chatto & Windus, 1910. 29.
...t would help bring into understandable light the mystery of the Church’s teachings. Finally, achievements in re-creating human emotion would ensure the painting’s, and therefore the Church’s teachings would leave an indelible mark on all of its viewers.
People can have many different opinions depending on a topic, but what is truly difficult is getting a complete level of understanding from every opinion, or understanding the point of view of each opinion. Even accepting the points of view can be difficult for some people, who believe that their opinions are right. Luckily, people can learn about the other person’s frame of reference, and at the very least understand the topic or the person a little better. This particular topic is art, which is known for its multiple possible perceptions or its many different messages that it can send a person or group of people. In this way, people can learn more about the thought processes and feelings of others. Unfortunately, with differing opinions,
As his career continued, Bellini became known for his landscapes and naturalistic depiction of light. Giovanni founded the Venetian school of painting, and lived to see his students succeed and even some of them become more famous than he himself was. His life ended in Venice in 1516, but his contributions to Renaissance art would live forever. Bellini brought a new level of realism and nature to art, innovative subject matter, and a new sensuousness in both form and color. Giovanni’s personal attitudes and styles predetermined the special nature of Venic...
Lorenzo De Medici can be considered as one of the most influential men of the 13th century. His work in political affairs and administration were renowned in all Italy and his family could count on him in every aspect. Lorenzo was also a promoter of a new period called Renaissance. He was one of the first “mecenate” to explore this new way of art. In this project, I will concentrate how he developed art in Florence, giving a clear example through an Artist of that period that was working for him: Sandro Botticelli. His work “The Spring” is a well-defined example of what we can call “art in the Renaissance”, in particular for the Italian Renaissance.
Titian’s style of art, and his masterful techniques with religious art, mythical compositions, and successive glazes have never been surpassed. They influence generations of artists to come, and will continue to do so as long as his work is studied. His place in the Italian High Renaissance will never be overlooked.
Bowron, Edgar Peters., Peter Björn. Kerber, and Pompeo Batoni. Pompeo Batoni: Prince of Painters in Eighteenth-century Rome. New Haven: Yale UP, 2007. 100-50. Print.
In conclusion, although Mycerinus and Kha-merer-nebty II and Augustus of Primaporta, do appear very different, come from entirely different geographic regions and were separated by thousands of years, they do have many things in common. When we consider subject, style, and function; perhaps other works of art have more in common than they appear to have.
Interestingly, he also refers to Donatello as a ‘craftsman’. The correlation between the artist or sculptor and craftsman is an important aspect in Italian Renaissance art. The craftsman was something more than just an artist. This person was talented and considered by others in Italian Renaissance society as exceptional or as Vasari’s title suggests, ‘the most excellent’. They were also tradespeople rather than just artists. This is because they created works for other people, which often meant they expressed other people’s ideas. Through an analysis of Vasari’s biography on Donatello, this essay will explore the importance of culture in Renaissance Italian society, an examination of Vasari’s biography of Donatello as a historical document and the ways in which Vasari portrays Donatello, which ultimately was significant for future Renaissance craftsmen. This paper will analyze the life of Donatello through Vasari’s The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects to show the importance of Donatello not only as an artist but also as a
...laced on the style and materials presented in the painting. While evaluating and comparing various paintings the author feels that at the beginning of the Renaissance era the skill level of the artist was often not acknowledged whereas materials were, but at the end of the era, skill level played a larger factor in who was chosen to complete the artwork. Therefore, fresco painting, which emerged near the end of the period, changed this so called “deposit”, along with the relationship of the artist and the patron, allowing for the talent and skill of the artist to shine.
“Philosophers, writers, and artists expressed disillusionment with the rational-humanist tradition of the Enlightenment. They no longer shared the Enlightenment's confidence in either reason's capabilities or human goodness.” (Perry, pg. 457) It is interesting to follow art through history and see how the general mood of society changed with various aspects of history, and how events have a strong connection to the art of the corresponding time.
Roman art was also deeply influenced by the art of the Hellenistic world, which had spread to southern Italy and Sicily through the Greek colonies there. The Etruscans and Babylonians can also be seen as inspirations. “With the founding of the Republic, the term Roman art was virtually synonymous with the art of the city of Rome, which still bore the stamp of its Etruscan art” (Honour and Fleming,1999). During the last two centuries, notably that of Greece, Roman art shook off its dependence on Etruscan art. In the last two centuries before Christ, a distinctive Roman manner of building, sculpting, and painting emerged. Indeed, because of the extraordinary geographical extent of the Roman Empire and the number of diverse populations encompassed within its boundaries, “the art and architecture of the Romans was always eclectic and is characterized by varying styles attributable to differing regional tastes and the...
Additionally, the styles changed; from Rococo, which was meant to represent the aristocratic power and the “style that (…) and ignored the lower classes” (Cullen), to Neoclassicism, which had a special emphasis on the Roman civilization’s virtues, and also to Romanticism, which performs a celebration of the individual and of freedom. Obviously, also the subject matter that inspired the paintings has changed as wel...
people would be able to paint a picture of those they admire, as a way
Larmann, R., & Shields, M. (2011). Art of Renaissance and Baroque Europe (1400–1750). Gateways to Art (pp. 376-97). New York: W.W. Norton.
When the religious art leaks out of the religious community and into the broader world of culture, it is one of the ways the meaning of the art can evolve. This is also an opportunity for the art to draw the world to religion. Moreover, artistic reinterpretation of sacred imagery can help keep religion honest. The church has always been enriched by the tension that comes with diversity in art. Art is communication and effective art communicates effectively to any group at any level.