During the time of the Reformation a great divergence arose between the Catholic Church and the Protestant Reformers of the north regarding the content and style of art work. The Catholic Church viewed Protestantism and its iconoclasm as a threat to the church. They felt that much religious art in Catholic countries (especially Italy) had lost its focus on the religious subject-matter, and became too interested in decorative qualities.
This work in 1591 by Pulzone refocuses the message on Christ and is free of any decorative distractions. There is minimal, if any, blood on Christ, and the primary detail is in the faces of those lamenting Christ’s death. He is the largest figure (filling up almost the entire frame) and the simplicity of the depiction of Christ is very moving in and of itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment