One of the most revolutionary occurrences during the 16th century was the Protestant Reformation. The Ninety-Five Theses writings of Martin Luther King related to the over indulgence of the Church and he put in question the entire theology and structure of the Church.
These writings came at a time when the Papacy’s increasing wealth, the negligence of the clergy, corruption and indulgence was rampant within the Church. The Papal lived in luxury while many others lived in squalor. The people began to question the Church’s spiritual leading and the growing wealth.
Imagine the inner turmoil of the many people living in this time period those who weighed their own religious beliefs between salvation and their fate
The people began to seek answers for a new spiritual link to a religion that would connect them on a deeper personal level. Hence, the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther and John Calvin both represented the start and second wave of the Protestant Reformation.
Art before the Reformation period reflected religious subjects and some came with ominous messages.
For example, artist Albrecht Durer’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, 1497-98, woodcut. Death, War, Pestilence, and Famine are riding above the secular groups.
During and after the Protestant Reformation art shifted towards, history painting, landscape, portrait and still life painting. Flemish painter’s Pieter Bruegel’s The Peasant Wedding, gives insight of a Flemish Peasant’s wedding. There is no reference of a religious theme or symbolism in this painting. Unlike, Jan Van Eyck’s painting “The Arnolfini Portrait.
Jan Van Eyck
(Flemish)
Jan van Eyck was important not only to the northern Renaissance, but to the entire Renaissance. He is credited with the invention of the oil-glazing technique, which replaced the earlier egg-tempera method. In the early years of the Renaissance, the artist generally began with a monochromatic drawing using egg tempera on a wood panel, and then layers of oil-glazes were painted on top of it. This allowed for rich details and luminous colors (later artists would work directly in oils on canvas, allowing the paintings to become larger and lighter, without warping or insect infestation). Whether or not Van Eyck was actually the first person to use this new medium may be of secondary importance to the achievements of his work, for he was truly a master of meticulous detail and well-planned compositions.
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Jan van Eyck, Arnolfini Wedding, 1434 |
Arnolfini Wedding (wall detail) |
The Marriage of Giovanni Arnolfini, commonly called the Arnolfini Wedding, is van Eyck’s most famous work. The subject is obvious, given the pose of the couple. It may, however, be confusing to the modern viewer that he chose to portray them in their bed chamber, instead of in a church. Here, it is necessary to keep in mind that everything portrayed in this picture has symbolic meaning. The fact that the woman appears to be pregnant is symbolic of the holy purpose of their matrimony of bringing children into the world. This also explains the choice of the color of her dress (green representing fertility), and the fact that she is pulling her dress up in the front (signifying that she is willing to bear children). Other specifically symbolic imagery includes the dog who stands between them (fidelity to each other; loyalty to God), the sandals which have been removed (signifying that they are standing on holy ground), and the single candle in the candelabra (the presence of Christ in their union). A detail of the back wall reveals a convex mirror which reflects their backs and two other persons (probably the priest and the artist). A signature above which says “Jan van Eyck was here” testifies to the artist’s presence during the ceremony, and it is possible that the purpose of the painting is partly a matter of documenting the legality of their matrimony. Sources: http://robinurton.com/history/Renaissance/northrenaiss.htm
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