Religion Flashcards
Effect of the fall of protestant reformation as a turning point for Renaissance
o Protestant religions rejected Catholic practices – led to shifts in Patronage and artistic themes.
o In Dutch Republic – predominantly protestant - demand for religious art shifted towards more subdued and Calvinist-influenced themes – Iconoclasm- during the Beeldenstorm period - destruction of religious artworks in churches and monasteries.
o August 1566, Protestant mobs stormed churches and monasteries across the Low Countries - destroying altarpieces, sculptures, and stained-glass windows.
Threat to the medieval scholastic tradition posed by humanist education and learning.
o Humanism Critiqued Scholasticism medieval philosophical and theological movement – heavily influenced by Christian theology.
-Instead encouraged return to sources of classical wisdom.
-Pico’s ‘Oration on the dignity of Man’ challenged the rigid hierarchy of knowledge upheld by Scholasticism – argued for freedom of individuals to pursue knowledge from different sources. This work rejects doctrinal constraints.
o “The Praise of Folly” (1509), Erasmus satirized the pedantry and narrow-mindedness of Scholastic theologians.
o 1483 - Pico’s 900 philosophical these included doctrines from Zoroastrianism, Platonism, Hermeticism, the Jewish Kabbalah, and many other esoteric disciplines, the Pope declared some of these ideas heretical and forbade a public debate.
Renaissance promotion of vernacular languages – became a medium for Protestantism.
o Printing press - mass produced at fast pace.
-e.g. around 1580 about 40 million books had been produced in the last half century, compared to around 5 million per a half century around 1475.
o Classical texts translated into vernacular languages (Perarch - Homer and Cicero into Tuscan vernacular) - spread of revival of the classics (key element of Renaissance culture.)
-Beliefe of renaissance - people should be able to access knowledge for themselves from sources - expressed by Pico ‘Oration’.
-increase of vernacular language – gate way for protestant reformation.
o By early 16th century, about 90% of printed books in vernacular language.
o Increase in vernacular – gateway for the leaflets and books that popularized the reformation.
Threat to religious texts and doctrine posed by humanist textual criticism/philology.
o Valla exposed the Donation of Constantine as Forgery in his work ‘Declamation on the Forgery of the Alleged Donation of Constantine’
o Donation of Constantine - document that granted extensive lands to the Pope by emperor Constantine.
o Valla’s philological analysis demonstrated linguistic anachronisms and historical inaccuracies that revealed it as a medieval fabrication.
o Undermined historical basis of Papal authority + challenged legitimacy of Papacy’s temporal power
o Erasmus’ Edition of the New Testament - Novum Instrumentum omne (1516) – Compared various Greek manuscripts to New Testament – highlighted discrepancies between them and Latin Vulgate – one used by the Catholic Church.
o Critical notes questioning traditional interpretations – challenged doctrinal certainties.
o E.g. questioned authenticity of passages such as Comma Johanneum (1 John 5:7-8) - supports the doctrine of the Trinity but is absent from many early Greek manuscripts.
Promoted the Renaissance: People that lead the catholic church were humanist and humanists’ supporters – patrons of artists, humanists’ libraries - developments in Rome such as the Vatican and Sistine Chapel.
-Patronage of Pope Nicholas and Julius II (see individuals).
-o Sixtus IV commissioned construction of Sistine Chapel.
-Eugenius IV patron of Fra Angelico, and Donatello.
o However – not all Popes – C.C. isn’t a single unit.
o Michelangelo – Sistine Chapel – 1508 -1512 (Julius II). Last Judgement – 1541 (Clement VII) – Pieta (statue) - commissioned by French Cardinal Jean de Billheres for St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
o Bramante – ‘Tempietto’ Bramante was commissioned by Pope Julius II – 1502.
o Raphael - by Pope Julius II and his successor Pope Leo X to decorate several rooms in the Vatican Palace - “The School of Athens” and “The Disputation of the Holy Sacrament.” “The Transfiguration,” commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici for the cathedral of Narbonne in France.
o Fra Angelico - commissioned by the Dominican Order - altarpieces for the convent of San Marco in Florence - Annunciation and the Crucifixion. - Fra Angelico was invited to Rome by Pope Nicholas V - Vatican Palace - decoration of the Niccoline Chapel - scenes from the lives of St. Stephen and St. Lawrence.
o Da Vinci - Augustinian monks of San Donato a Scopeto in Florence for “Adoration of the Magi.”
-Nature of patronage - the Church, when it acted as a patron - dictated the themes and nature of the works produced, rather than the other way round.
Catholic Church vehicle of Christianity – many Christian themes in art.
o Much of Renaissance art promoted Christianity, thus aligned with the C.C.
o The Last Supper – Leonardo.
o Michelangelo – very religious – Sistine Chapel and “Pieta,” housed in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the body of Jesus after the Crucifixion,
o Giotto di Bondone’s “Scrovegni Chapel” in Padua, Italy, is adorned with frescoes depicting scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary, conveying key Christian teachings and events.
o Donatello’s “David”, portrays the biblical hero David as a symbol of courage and divine favor, reflecting the Christian interpretation of the Old Testament story.
Links between the mannerism of the High Renaissance and the Catholic Reformation
o Counter-Reformation – C.C. – combat spread of Protestantism + reaffirm its authority.
-Mannerist art - emotional intensity and dramatic flair
-well-suited to convey the fervor and spiritual intensity of the Counter-Reformation.
-decades following the Council of Trent, and under its influence, Catholic scholars also established stricter guidelines to which Catholic art should aspire.
-Emotion - depicted in extreme form.
o Artists such as El Greco, known for his elongated figures and intense colors, produced works that expressed the spiritual fervency and doctrinal orthodoxy of the Catholic Reformation.
Importance of Christian Humanism and its emphasis on religious renewal within the existing church, rather than in opposition to it.
o Erasmus ‘In Praise and Folly’ – critiqued abuse and corruption with C.C. advocated for renewal within rather than opposed to C.C.
o Christian humanist – importance of intellectual inquiry for spiritual growth.
o Collegium Trilingue in Leuven – Founded by Jerome Forben – curriculum integrating Latin, Greek and Hebrew with theology and philosophy.
o Christian humanists helped to equip clergy with tools necessary for deeper engagement with scripture.
Clerical advocates of the new learning.
o Thomas More – became catholic Saint.
o Influenced by Renaissance Humanism – philosophical pursuits– classical literature and philosophy.
o Strong commitment to Catholic Faith and wrote Utopia critiquing societal injustices.
o Erasmus – Dutch Priest and theologian – influential figure of Renaissance Humanist movement – devout catholic – called for renewal within the C.C.
The interest of humanists in religious texts and their desire to unify Christian and classical learning.
o Valla – expertise in philology and textual critiscm to the New testament.
o ‘Annotations on the New Testament’ 1444 – critical notes and commentary on Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible – pointing out errors – paved way for further engagement of humanist scholars in Biblical study.
o Pico’s Oration on the Dignity of Man – 1486 – harmony between faith and reason – integrated Christian teachings with classical ideals of human potential.
The Church’s suspicion of the pagan and classical themes inherent in much humanist art.
o 1542 – Roman Inquisition – Catholic Churches response to the Reformation.
o Targeted heresy – including the promotion of pagan themes in classical ideas – deemed incompatible with the Christian doctrine.
o In 1559 - the Index Librorum Prohibitorum - list of prohibited books deemed heretical – included classical literature, humanist writing incorporating pagan themes.
-it banned Erasmus’ The Praise of Folly
o Botticelli – faced pressure from the Church due to the association with the Florentine Humanists and the pagan themes in his paintings E.g. ‘The birth of Venus’.
o “Laetentur Caeli” in 1439 – papal Bull by Pope Eugene IV – condemned pagan literature and philosophy as obstacles to Christian truth.
The importance of the Catholic Reformation in harnessing the artistic and architectural developments of the Renaissance for the glory of the Church (the High Renaissance).
o The Council of Trent, convened by the Catholic Church between 1545 and 1563
–addressed issues raised by protestant reformation including the role of art and architecture in worship
–emphasized the importance of sacred art in conveying religious truth
–regulate artistic expression – ensure artworks upheld catholic doctrine.
-Emotion in art should be depicted ib extreme form - establish a ‘closer psychological relation to the audience’ - perhaps resulted in manerrism.
o Patronage of Churches counter reformation:
-St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City underwent significant renovations and expansions during the High Renaissance under the patronage of successive popes.
-Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini contributed to its design and construction - architectural masterpiece that symbolized the power and glory of the Catholic Church.
The uptake of humanist educational ideals by new religious orders like the Jesuits in an attempt to stem the spread of Protestantism.
o The Jesuits, founded by Ignatius of Loyola in 1540, emerged as a new religious order within the Catholic Church - influenced by humanist ideals - apply them to their mission of defending and promoting Catholicism.
o Ratio Studiorum, a comprehensive educational plan – integrated humanist principles with Catholic ideology and spirituality.
o Network of schools and colleges - Collegio Romano in Rome and the Jesuit colleges in cities such as Paris, Cologne, and Vienna.
The Sack of Rome (1527) as a turning point in diminishing the Church’s ability to patronise Renaissance artists and scholars.
o Sack of Rome, Charles V 20,000 troops killed 45,000 civilian dead, wounded or exiled people.
o Disruption of patronage networks: Many artist and intellectuals fled from the city, sought patronage elsewhere, especially France and Spain – contributed to spread of Renaissance ideas – ended the Golden Era of Rome.
o Destruction and theft of artistic pieces – St Peter’s Basilica suffered extensive damage – art works by Michelangelo and Raphael looted and defaced.
o Pope Clement VII had to hide and take refuge – Stopped patronage of the papacy for a while.
Examples of Church’s response to individual Renaissance artists and scholars.
o 1483 - Pico’s 900 philosophical these included doctrines from Zoroastrianism, Platonism, Hermeticism, the Jewish Kabbalah, and many other esoteric disciplines, the Pope declared some of these ideas heretical and forbade a public debate.
o The Praise of Folly was put on the index of forbidden books by the Church in 1559.
o However, patronized very religious Renaissance artists excessively – E.g. Michelangelo and Raphael and Fra Angelico.
