ARTH Notes - Aug 29

Contarelli Chapel
Views of Contarelli Chapel - altar, left and right walls
Inspiration of St. Matthew (altar piece)
Calling of Saint Matthew (lateral piece, to the left of the altar)

Council of Trent Important Decisions Regarding Art
Art must be didactic
Image should either be narrative or incite devotion
Art is not meant to glorify the artist's skills or draw away from the message
Decorum: appropriate to the activity
Redefinition of exquisite perfection - no longer mannerist, rebalancing relationship between
the sacredness and artistic

"A thing is beautiful in proportion as it is clear and evident" - Gilio da Fabriano (1564)
The work of art should incite devotion and sting the heart" - Gabrielle Paleotti (1582)

Church criticizes Michelangelo's Last Judgement
Too many athletic nudes Too giant, difficult to read
More about anatomy Form is greater than content

Veronese changes title of his piece to Feast in the House of Levi to avoid Catholic judgement
Message to artists: church meant business, conform or lose money

Tridentine: from the Council of Trent (ended 1563)
Post-Tridentine: after 1563
Oratorians
Counter-reformation - introduction of new religious orders


Encouraged service-oriented, urban religious orders
Founded by San Filippo Neri
Establish religious community that has vast network of individu
Social service provider - the way to advance one's path to salvation is caring for others
Built oratory, a large rectangular space where preaching occured
Charged faithful with task of counter-reformation

Jesuits: the Society of Jesus
Founded by Sant'Ignazio de Loyola (1491-1556)
Urban, trained and educated members
Focused on spreading Catholicism
Established spiritual exercises to demonstrate faith
Weekly Exercises:
First week: focus on sin, feel the heat of hell, hear the screams of the damned, etc.
Art depicted this imagining and spiritual
Second week: life of Christ
Third week: Passion of Christ
Last week: Resurrection, relief and new mission to go out and practice faith
Hand - examination of your conscience, each finger means something different
Individuals showing devotion rather than saints

Pope Canonizes Post-Tridentine Leaders (1622)
Ignatius, Neri, Xavier, Avila made into saints (canonized)
Success locally, but not globally