Catholic Church was the sole Christian church

Dissent about the level of corruption in church

In 1517, German monk and professor Martin Luther nailed

his list of complaints, known as the 95 Theses, to the Ausburg Cathedral

Religious battleground-Led to Protestantism (non-Catholic religious branch)

Indulgences-buying way into heaven?

Bible was the only true authority, not Pope

Church was elitist-everything in Latin

Catholic priests breaking vows and fathering illegitimate children-- who were then given special titles in the church

Countries that were Christian the shortest length of time-turned ProtestantGermany, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands

Countries with longer Christian traditions remained CatholicSpain, Italy, Portugal, and Poland

Luther thought Artwork was distractingReligious art would lead to idolatry

Started huge iconoclasm againProtestants would storm churches and destroy

paintings and sculptures of holy figures

Catholics thoughtArt was a visual aid in communicating with God

Artists in the middle

Iconoclasm

Art in Protestant countries had to diversify because religious art not as popularGenre paintingHistory paintingLandscape paintingPortrait painting

Growing importance of Book Illustration and Graphic Arts-small and private devotionals

3

Created for the Monastic hospital order Saint Anthony’s Monastery in Isenheim. Specialized in skin disease known as St.

Anthony’s Fire/Ergotism-disease from eating rye flour with fungus

Plague spreading through Germany

Expresses torment and hope4 layers of painted surfaces- two sets of folding

wings, like a cupboard, enclosing the final altarpiece, which consists of 3 carved wooden statues of saints.

predella

1st pair of wings on Crucifixion and lamentation (predella).

2nd pair with the Resurrection and Healing.

Saint Anthony and Saint Sebastian were associated with suffering and healing.

Images served as warnings; encouraged devotion from the monks and hospital patients; offered hope to the afflicted.

Intensified the contrasts of horror and hope by subtle tones and soft harmonies.

This small woodcut expresses the doctrinal differences between Catholicism and Protestantism

Split in two by the image of a tree.Left side=Last Judgment: Christ, Adam and Eve,

Moses. Shows Luther’s belief that no matter how hard humans try to follow the 10 commandments they will fail

Right Side-message that Christ’s sacrifice provided the grace necessary for salvation. No good works could earn salvation it was Christ’s gift.

It was made to be printed and distributed for use as a teaching tool

“Leonardo of the North”

Elevated artist status from craftsman to near prince

Diverse interests, cultured gentleman

Embraced High Renaissance love of symmetry, proportion, and scientific study

First to use PRINTMAKING as a major medium in art

First artist to do multiple self portraits

1st painting, shows his influence of Leonardo. Set up like the Mona Lisa. His features are idealized and softened

Durer greatly admired Leonardo.

Durer paints himself in a Christ-like pose, reminiscent of Byzantine icons, indicating the exalted status of the artist (not to mention his high opinion of himself).

Artwork on paper

Make one master, print multiple artworks

Full set of prints known as an edition

Relief

Printing press was invented in Germany in the 1400’s-more use for illustrative graphic work

WoodcutTypically work in reversed negativeCut away what you don’t want to printPrints in opposite directionOften look primitive

Intaglio (Engraving and Dry Point)Work on a metal plate with a burinScratch in drawing or burn/etch lines often using

acidLines take inkPrints in opposite direction

End of the worldWeapons-

Famine (scales)War (sword)Death (pitchfork)Pestilence (bow)

Depicts Durer’s studies of the Vitruvian theory of human proportions, a theory based on arithmetic ratios.

Idealized body types of a classical God and Goddess.

Contrapposto stance.

Uses cross-hatching to create modeling.

Gnarled bark of trees and feathery leaves makes the scene along with the creatures underneath.

Cat, elk, rabbit, and ox all represent humanity’s temperaments- coexisting together

Tension between the cat and mouse is symbolic of the crucial moment between Adam and Eve, of the fall of man.

The cat=devil pouncing on humanity.

It’s the moment just seconds before their fall from grace. The branches are already covering their nudity- as if they know what’s getting ready to happen.

Durer created works that expressed his support of Luther.

John and Peter appear on the left panel, Mark and Paul on the right.

The individuality and detail of their attire and attributes communicate an integrity and spirituality.

Reading from the Bible, the single authoritative source of religious truth, according to Luther.

Quotations on frames from each of the Four Apostle’s books in the Luther’s German translation of the New Testament.

The excerpts warn of perilous times and in false prophets who will distort God’s word.

Holbein was the court painter for Henry 8th and is known as the greatest portraitist ever. German but moved to England

The educated backgrounds of the men are seen by the things on the table

Anamorphic skull-you can’t escape death

Different personalities of men are shown

Reflects the northern tradition of close realism

Legend says that he was a great loving person and a hero to many.

Worldly, decked out in silk and brocades.

Wears a gold medallion of the Order of Saint Michael and holds a dagger

Portrayed as very suave and confident.

Painting is carefully detailed, but has flattening of features and disproportionate size of the head to the body--Mannerist characteristics

Overall horizontal emphasis

Roman arcading at bottom

Tympanum over projecting bay

French: pitched roof, long windows

Italian: pediments, pilasters on bases

Marrying of French and Italian