Verified Document

Calvinism: Rejecting Strict Catholic Dogma Research Paper

17th Century Portraits Art that was produced in northern Europe in the 17th century quite different from the art in southern Europe. This difference was based on the fact that in northern Europe -- particularly in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland -- Calvinist approaches to Christianity were the rule. In southern Europe, particularly Italy and Spain, the Catholic Church still held sway, and painters tended to be loyal images that reflected Catholicism.

Why Catholicism was represented in 17th Century Italian Art

In response to the 16th century Protestant Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church launched the Counter-Reformation movement. Within that movement was the Council of Trent, which "…firmly resisted Protestant objections to using images in religious worship…" and art (Kleiner 2013). Author Kleiner writes that the Catholic Church was "…the leading art patron in 17th century Italy," and moreover the central point of much of Italian Baroque art was to "…restore Roman Catholicism's predominance and centrality" (Kleiner 559).

Author Beth Williamson explains that the character of Catholic and Protestant art "Became increasingly defined…" in the 17th century. In areas that had remained devoted to the "old faith" (Catholicism), Christian art was continually commissions as "…a powerful polemical weapon, promoting the Catholic view of Christianity"...

Among the artistic Christian images promoted by the Catholic Church -- which met with stern objections from Protestants -- was the "…continued and strengthened adherence to the Virgin Mary" (Williamson).
Protestants objected to various Catholic doctrines and dogmas associated with the Virgin Mary, her "Assumption and her Immaculate Conception"; also Protestants objected to representations to the "seven sacraments" -- with emphasis to the Eucharist (Williamson).

Why Dutch Art was different from Italian Art

In the 17th century the United Netherlands was heavily populated by Calvinists, and the religious attitudes of that era are "not readily apparent in the work of Dutch artists" (National Gallery of Art). However, great Dutch painters like Rembrandt did express morals and religious messages in art, but it was "…through concealed symbolism in landscapes, still-life paintings, and scenes of daily life" (National Gallery of Art). In fact Dutch painters reflected a theme that one didn't need to paint the Virgin Mary, or the Crucifixion, or other obvious iconic Christian images as the Italians did. That is because "God's work is evident in the world itself… [and] their paintings…provide reminders about the brevity of life and the need for moderation and temperance on one's conduct" (National Gallery of Art).

Emily…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Hedquist, V. (2008). Dutch Genre Painting as Religious Art: Gabriel Metsu's Roman

Catholic Imagery. Art History, 31(2), 159-186.

Heersink, E. (2010). Expensive Wallpaper / The Belittlement of Meaning in Seventh-

Century Dutch Art. Western University Department of Visual Arts. Retrieved March 5, 2015, from http://www.uwo.ca.
Retrieved March 5, 2015, from http://www.nga.gov.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Calvinism: Its Tenets and Impact in the South and in the World
Words: 3170 Length: 10 Document Type: Essay

Calvinism in the South Calvinism Calvinism is an interconnection of beliefs and influences adopted by many denominations, and creeds (Bowen 2014). It was first known as the reformed theology, produced by the Protestant Movement started by Martin Luther in the 16th century. It sought to alter or reform the perspectives of the Roman Catholic Church in explaining the basis for man's salvation through the sovereignty of God (CARM 2014). Since then, it

Calvinism or Lutheranism
Words: 1940 Length: 6 Document Type: Thesis

His most crucial involvement was in the organization of the governing of the church and the social structure of not only the church but the city (of Geneva, Switzerland). He was also a major political strategist and thinker. He modeled the social organization entirely on biblical principles. It was Calvin, for instance who established the same hierarchy we utilize today in Christian churches. He incorporated the church into the Geneva

Salvation Debate- Calvinism and Arminianism Calvinism and
Words: 2534 Length: 7 Document Type: Essay

Salvation Debate- Calvinism and Arminianism Calvinism and Arminianism are two different systems of theology that attempt to explain the relationship between God's sovereignty and man's free will. What differentiates these views is the issue of free will and whether people have any as compared to God's will. Some people claim that God's will supersedes human will in all situations if God's will is different. On the other hand, some people

The Debate Over Calvinism and Armenianism
Words: 693 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Providence debate or the debate over depravity and atonement, Armenianism vs. Calvinism is one of the "doctrines that divide."[footnoteRef:1] The debate continues among Evangelicals even though the original battle began in the seventeenth century. The crux of the difference between Calvinism and Armenianism is that the latter group believes that God has bestowed free will upon human beings, and as such, free will can be used to opt out

Calvin and the Reformation
Words: 1823 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

Calvinism and the Reformation John Calvin (originally Jean Cauvin) was born July 10th, 1509, in the merchant city of Noyon, France, in a family of modest ancestry of watermen and artisans. His father, Girard Cauvin, ran the course of a respectable bourgeoisie member who studied law and went all the way from a town clerk to the position of a procurator of the cathedral chapter. As a prediction to his son's further

Sociology -- Sociology of Religion
Words: 1771 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Finally, the rise of science and technology due to industrialization militated against institutionalized religion (Bruce, 2002, p. 18). As people became more educated and reliant on science and technology in their everyday lives and work lives, religious disagreements with science and led people to abandon institutional religions as unscientific and backward. People knew that science and technology worked; therefore, religious arguments against science and technology tended to be rejected.

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now