What role did art play in the religious conflict of the sixteenth-century? What were the positions of the Protestant Reformers and Catholic Church on the use and efficacy of art? how did the image debate influenced the succeeding period – the Baroque?

Question

I'm trying to write a paper and need more details than what I currently have.

Please don't post links to google, wikipedia, I could do that myself

Thanks

Answer 1

Keep in mind one rather general thing. This is a guideline to keep in mind, but I'm stating it quite simplistically! If you decide to use this idea, you'll need to back it up with lots and LOTS of examples.

During medieval times, art (paintings, sculpture, etc.) was used primarily for religious reasons in Europe -- and of course, "religious" means the Catholic Church.

What marks the Renaissance in Europe is the moving away from heavy dependence on religion for artistic subjects and reasons for existence to more secular and pre-Christian subjects, no matter which medium.

Two men who were caught in the transition, in a way:

Michelangelo
http://www.michelangelo.com/buon/bio-index2.html

Leonardo da Vinci
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/vinci.html
http://www.mos.org/leonardo/

http://www.answers.com/topic/medieval-art

http://www.answers.com/topic/renaissance-art-1

Answer 2

PS -- All that pretty much coincided with Gutenberg's invention, the printing press, and its incredible effects on European countries and their societies.
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/press.html

For one thing, more and more everyday people became literate and could read and interpret the Bible for themselves. This alone had quite a number of effects!