The Protestant reformation hit the Europe like a natural disaster. Even though Martin Luther did not mean such harm, his theses caused a hundred year war and chaos. Artists are the very first to react and whether profit or suffer from situations like this. If I have to draw a visual image of art at that time I would depict a gentle spring flower under the cover of ice while some wild plants survived and adjusted. The Renaissance movement pretty much got frozen, but its niche was immediately filled with other styles and forms of art.
I imagine the general public was feeling lost since Luther’s harsh criticism of the Papacy, Rome and Church. So after expressing their anger sometimes through multiple acts of violence, people were in hurry to repair the relationship with God and were desperately seeking for new ways to achieve Salvation. Huge demand appeared for private devotional imagery and spiritual texts. Since “Protestant leaders spoke out against much religious art being produced,” but people still needed some replacement, things get a bit tricky (Mammya, 547). Finally Martin Luther clarified the situation, allowing some religious themes. Luckily, people in 16th century already were familiar with printing press and typography, thanks to which they got in this mess in the first place. In Northern Europe prints were especially popular because they were “inexpensive and easily circulated.” (Mammya, 546) Also when you have a holly Bible (often in a size to carry with you) translated in you language with some permitted religious imagery for educational or devotional purposes, you hardly can get more private with God than that.
In lots of art works of Northern European artists one can easily see obvious influences of Renaissance. The overall interest in naturalism like realistic proportions, light, and perspective progressed. Reading Saints, elite with scientific objects, words and signs etc. suggest interest in Humanism that switched direction toward Christianity. However almost all emotional drama and movements disappeared. Still it is very exiting finally to see the genre scenes – everyday life of middle class people.
The whole Northern European art in 16th century remind me the dance of chaos: two steps forward and five back. That happens when artists cense the need for change or want to react according to the topic of the day but could not decide which way to go yet. Changes like that happens every some-hundred years. Thank to such periods we have some new styles or discover outstanding artists (like Albrecht Durer) working with new media.
Durer, Albrecht
Study of Praying Hands, 1508
Brush and ink heightened with white on blue tinted paper
29 x 20 cm
Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Vienna
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/D/durer/duerer_praying_hands.jpg.html
I imagine the general public was feeling lost since Luther’s harsh criticism of the Papacy, Rome and Church. So after expressing their anger sometimes through multiple acts of violence, people were in hurry to repair the relationship with God and were desperately seeking for new ways to achieve Salvation. Huge demand appeared for private devotional imagery and spiritual texts. Since “Protestant leaders spoke out against much religious art being produced,” but people still needed some replacement, things get a bit tricky (Mammya, 547). Finally Martin Luther clarified the situation, allowing some religious themes. Luckily, people in 16th century already were familiar with printing press and typography, thanks to which they got in this mess in the first place. In Northern Europe prints were especially popular because they were “inexpensive and easily circulated.” (Mammya, 546) Also when you have a holly Bible (often in a size to carry with you) translated in you language with some permitted religious imagery for educational or devotional purposes, you hardly can get more private with God than that.
In lots of art works of Northern European artists one can easily see obvious influences of Renaissance. The overall interest in naturalism like realistic proportions, light, and perspective progressed. Reading Saints, elite with scientific objects, words and signs etc. suggest interest in Humanism that switched direction toward Christianity. However almost all emotional drama and movements disappeared. Still it is very exiting finally to see the genre scenes – everyday life of middle class people.
The whole Northern European art in 16th century remind me the dance of chaos: two steps forward and five back. That happens when artists cense the need for change or want to react according to the topic of the day but could not decide which way to go yet. Changes like that happens every some-hundred years. Thank to such periods we have some new styles or discover outstanding artists (like Albrecht Durer) working with new media.
Durer, Albrecht
Study of Praying Hands, 1508
Brush and ink heightened with white on blue tinted paper
29 x 20 cm
Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Vienna
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/D/durer/duerer_praying_hands.jpg.html
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