Artistic Representations of the Divine and Patronage During the Renaissance:
Patronage in the Relationship of Julius II and Michelangelo
The nature of Catholic art during the Renaissance period, as manifested in the mutually beneficial though sometimes antagonistic relationship of patronage between the artists and popes of the period, can never simply be understood an expression of the individual art's vision of Jesus Christ, or even of an individual vision's expression in the face of a hostile authority. Rather, religious art during this period was an intensely social production and vision, a dialogue between religious leaders such as Pope Julius II and artistic producers such as Michelangelo. Popes commissioned artistic works and inspired, guided, and checked the artist's individual vision.
To properly understand the art of the period, one must eschew later representations of artists as individual laborers, toiling away from society, or even the idea that authority smothers artistic freedom and expression in the individual. One must instead embrace a notion of art as a religious, philosophical, and political tool of a hierarchical church authority that was less interested in individual vision than coherent theological expressions of the divine and of advancing political authority within the church. Although the individual artists may have included their own input into the work, this input was conveyed subtly, rather than overtly. However, the papacy's inspiration of the works of art, the papacy's occasional prodding of individual artists, and the ability of church money to make such vast, sprawling, and inspiring works of art 'happen' should not be disdained.
Pope Julius II, often known as a kind of warrior pope because of his influence in political as well as spiritual affairs, even more renown to the ages for his tireless patronage of the arts. He is also called the savior of the papacy, because of his integrity, relative to his contemporaries, and his restoration of legitimacy to the church...
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