Saint Jerome in His Study is sixteenth century oil on wood panel painting created by Joos van Cleve. The painting is now a part of the Princeton Art Museum. Saint Jerome’s sainthood was a result of his transcribing Christian texts written in Greek and Hebrew into Latin . Joos van Cleve employs certain iconography and stylistic components to show the piety, and awareness of death, while giving insight into the relationship of religion and art during the Reformation in Northern Europe in a very effective manner while simultaneously exemplifying Northern Renaissance art in a concise manner.
Flemish and other Northern European artists in the sixteenth century were working in an unprecedented time, and had to maneuver around obstacles that would change the way they made art. Around 1528 when the painting Saint Jerome in His Study was created, was the height of the Protestant reformation . During this time artwork commissioned by the Catholic Church significantly decreased and artist were commissioned to create pieces for private worship . Because Protestants were troubled by idle worshiped which came in the form of religious art, usually in sculpture, artists started turning more towards painting . This turbulent time in Northern Europe allowed for very interesting and complex art to be made.
The function of art drastically changed along with the turbulent historical tides of Northern Europe. Up until the reformation, the Catholic Church commissioned most art, however in the post reformation world artists had to turn to the open market to sell there art, and showing off their personal skill. Some artists like Albreicht Duer were able to adhere to reformation principles while still creating religiously themed art for the Catholic Ch...
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...Flemish artists such as Jan van Eyck . Joos van Cleve’s tactical placement of objects whether they speak to piety or death are so well chosen because they produce a clear message to the viewer but they also represent the stylistic quality of Northern Renaissance painting.
Joos van Cleve was a Northern Renaissance artist who painted Saint Jerome in His Study using oil paints on wood. The work was completed in 1528 and is now at home in the Princeton Museum of Art. Jerome received saint hood for his tireless work of translating Greek and Hebrew religious texts into Latin. Cleve’s artwork is unique in his use of iconography while also exemplifying the style of Northern Renaissance art and the impact of the reformation on art. This painting is relevant because it offers a concise and accurate portrayal of religious art and Flemish traditional in the sixteenth century.
Albrecht Durer-Saint Jerome in His Study: In this engraving done in 1514 Durer depicts Saint Jerome hard at work at a desk. He appears to be reading or inditing some document that is very engrossing. He does not seem to descry the lion or the canine that are near the foot of his desk. A skull is optically discerned on the left side of the engraving sitting on the window ledge facing the interior of the room. It appears as though there is an imaginary line from Saint Jerome’s head to the cross that culminates at the skull, it is believed that this designates the contrast between death and the Resurrection. The canine is a symbol of adhesion often depicted in Durer’s works, while the lion is a component of the iconography of Saint Jerome. This engraving is often grouped with two other Durer engravings that betoken the three spheres of activity apperceived in Medieval times. Durer was an accomplished engraver, painter, printmaker, mathematician, and theorist.
The Ghent Altarpiece (began by Jan’s older brother Hubert Van Eyck; although the majority of artwork was done by Jan himself) functioned as a polyptych with 24 separate panels. The subject of the Ghent Altarpiece is the commemoration of the fall to the redemption; or rather, the rise of Christianity, the fall of Christianity (sin), and then redemption (Christ's sacrifice that saves mankind).
The Holy Trinity by Masaccio was a painting done in approximately 1428. It is a
Professed "painter of the Reformation," Lucas Cranach the Elder created many pieces of artwork during his career, but his work that sprouted from the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Reformation was truly inspiring (Johnson). Judith with the Head of Holofernes, an inspiring oil on panel by Cranach, impacted society in multiple ways that would remain influential even after his death. Cranach's work played a critical role in the beginning of the Reformation and pleased the royal court in Germany during the mid 1500s, which allowed him to rise as an artist and support dangerous organizations in his spare time. This enthralling artist's specific piece was the beginning of a religious motif that would appear in his later works and inspire artists of all beliefs. Lucas Cranach the Elder impacted society through his painting Judith with the Head of Holofernes and helped shape Reformation artwork in Germany throughout his career.
The compositions that each piece displays is different and prestige in its own right. Flemish panel painters were largely influential and created extraordinary developments in composition. The artwork tends to be very detailed and filled with symbolic meanings from surrounding objects or even coloring. Jan van Eyck was especially credited for paying exceptional attention to detail that creates such a realistic form, the figures seem lifelike. Much of this realistic appearance is due to the medium that was widely used in the North. The use of oil paints and techniques, such as finer detail with smaller brush strokes and layering of oil paints to create a glaze, were used and developed giving the Northern art distinct characteristics and composition. Italian painters created frescos by applying pigments to wet plaster. The result is a dull, flatter color and they were unable to achieve intricate detail. The com...
Art was viewed in a different sense in the fourteenth century. It had a more active role and was not just decoration, but a vital component of worship and pr...
The Ghent Altarpiece painted in completeness by Jan and Hubert van Eyck in 1432. This altarpiece is filled with symbolism. One of the most important pieces of the altar is the Deity Enthroned, which represents the Lord in Christianity. The painting covered with symbols and words. The artists portrays many signs with different meanings from the deity’s clothes to the background.
While the Flemish were proficient in oil painting, Italian Renaissance artists continued their predecessor’s use of tempera. Furthermore, the paintings were ultimately created for different purposes and separate viewers. Although both works are centered on the defining moment of the annunciation, The Merode Altarpiece incorporates this scene into a secular setting, therefore differing from Fra Angelico’s The Annunciation which was painted for a monastery. Finally, Flemish and Italian Renaissance paintings differ in levels of realism. Although the Flemish painters were skilled in portraying realism of physical forms, they lacked a full understanding of linear perspective. In contrast, the Italian Renaissance artists were well versed in linear perspective but lacked a complete grasp of the natural
During the 15th century, Europe started to have different cultural traditions that impacted the type artwork of artwork that was produced. There are several elements that have evolved during this time. Two artworks will be compared so that we will be able to evaluate how various techniques that are used can be used to portray the meaning of the painting as well as how the audience views the scene as well. One of the paintings that we will compare is a Annunciation panel (from the Merode Triptych), which was painted by Robert Campin in 1426. This painting will be compared to Holy Trinity, which was created by Masaccio in 1425. By comparing these two paintings, we will get a sense of what themes and ideals were valued during this time period.
The tendencies of Baroque translated differently in parts of Europe. In Italy, it reflected the return of intense piety through dense church ornamentations, complex architecture, and dynamic painting. Calabrese’s work exhibits the combined artistic stimuli of the 17th century and culminates in the acquired Caravagesque style that alters how paintings were composed from then on. Executed at the height of Calabrese’s most creative phase, St. John the Baptist Preaching is indicates the monumentality of change in urbanization as well as the return of Catholic permanence in the 1600’s. Aside from the Baroque power of the artwork, Calabrese’s St. John is a piece worth gravitating to and stands as reminder of the grandiose excesses of Baroque art.
As the seventeenth century began the Catholic Church was having a hard time bringing back the people who were swept away by the protestant reformation. The conflict between the protestant had a big influence on art. (Baroque Art) The church decided to appeal to the human emotion and feeling. They did so by introducing a style called Baroque. Baroque was first developed in Rome and it was dedicated to furthering the aims of Counter Reformation. Baroque was first used in Italy than later spread to the north. In this paper I will argue that the Italian Baroque pieces were more detailed and captured the personality of the figure, in contrast and comparison to Northern Baroque pieces that aimed to produce a sense of excitement and to move viewers in an emotional sense leaving them in awe. I will prove this by talking about the different artwork and pieces of Italian Baroque art versus Northern Baroque Art.
“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.
The renaissance and the reformation were two of the most significant changes in history that has shaped our world today. Both of these great time periods are strikingly similar in some ways and totally different in others. This is because the renaissance was a change from religion to humanism whether it is in art or literature; it is where the individual began to matter. However, the reformation was,” in a nutshell,” a way to reform the church and even more so to form the way our society is today. The first half of this paper will view the drop in faith, the economic powers, and the artistic and literary changes during the renaissance, while the second half will view the progresses and changes the church makes during the reformation.
The shift between the Middle Ages and Renaissance was documented in art for future generations. It is because of the changes in art during this time that art historians today understand the historical placement and the socio-economic, political, and religious changes of the time. Art is a visual interpretation of one’s beliefs and way of life; it is through the art from these periods that we today understand exactly what was taking place and why it was happening. These shifts did not happen overnight, but instead changed gradually though years and years of art, and it is through them that we have record of some of the most important changes of historic times.
Art is important to religion in many different ways. Perhaps none has analyzed how art and religion have influenced and affected each other through the ages. Pictures painted of past events that help to bring back the feeling and importance of the past have been forgotten by some. To the one’s that haven’t forgotten are able to see the event’s as the bible says they happened. Not only can you see the events, but it also allows the younger students of the church to understand the events. The use of images of God became widespread after the second century. This religious art has defiantly been around for centuries and plays an important role to the history of religion as well as the future.