DECORUM IN RELIGIOUS PAINTINGS

• DOI: 10.37572/EdArt_0310406203

• Palavras-chave: Decorum; Counter-Reformation; Council of Trent and art.

• Keywords: Decorum; Counter-Reformation; Council of Trent and art.

• Abstract:

  The Council of Trent  ̶  convened between 1545-1563 within the context of the religious movement known as the Counter-Reformation  ̶  embraced art as a tool for catechesis and evangelization. Although art was not the main point in the agenda at the time, prominent Catholic figures established guidelines about its proper content through several writings produced during and after the Council. In fact, the Catholic Church was the first institution to consistently engage in the activity of propaganda, creating a new administrative body inside the Church to oversee the propagation of the catholic faith. Thereafter, the issue of decorum became a central element to be considered by artists: religious art ought to be appropriate to its ecclesiastical objectives. The censorship imposed by the Church created limitations to artistic activity and affected the artistic production of the period. While Catholics fully embraced an aesthetic of embellished works that appealed to the emotions and had the specific objective of silent preaching, Protestant art sponsored a more humble, simpler approach to religious themes in works that were true to the values of Reformers. Besides, without the patronage from ecclesiastical sources, Protestant countries saw a huge reduction in the amount of religious art, opening the way for more secular works: genre, portrait, historical painting and still-life grew in demand.

• Número de páginas: 12