Renaissance Art

¶ … Brown, Beverly Louise. "The Genius of Rome." London: Royal Academy of the Arts, 2001. Brown's "The Genius of Rome" offers a comprehensive analysis of both the convergence and dichotomy of sacred and profane elements in Renaissance Italian art. Caravaggio stands at the midpoint, the pivotal space, between sacred and profane.

As Brown points out, many of Caravaggio's altarpieces were initially rejected on the grounds that they were not sacred enough, and the author claims that his work has been described by contemporaries as "mezzo tra il devote, et profano," or "halfway between sacred and profane," (p. 276). Interestingly, seventeenth century sources reveal scant evidence as to why Caravaggio's work would have been viewed in this way, and why his altarpieces were sometimes summarily rejected. Later in the chapter, Brown focuses on Rubens, who encapsulated the dichotomies between sacred and profane.

This resources provides instrumental evidence related to the evolution of the relationship between Church and art. Brown's insight into Caravaggio and also into the contrast between sacred and profane is instrumental in any analysis of Italian Renaissance. The author is careful to situate the art in its social and political context, revealing much about the nature of Church commissions, of Church involvement in the arts, and the politics of art.

Art was frequently if not consistently used as a means of spreading political propaganda as well as religious indoctrination, notes the author. Citing information from primary sources, the author substantiates her claims and leads the reader to external and further research. There were, moreover, formal religious bodies sponsored by the Church that outlined why some art would be considered profane. Brown points out that these decrees were weak and "vague," (p. 277). Fear of nudity is, however, one of the elements that defined what was profane.

This led to the wanton destruction of Classical Roman statues depicting nudes. The author then describes shifts in the Church's vision of what constituted both sacred and profane. Nudity became associated less with profanity and more with purity and innocence. This shift in thought and doctrine led to a shift in visual representations of bodies. Furthermore, the Church recognized the importance of capturing emotional intensity, angst, and anguish to properly convey the stories of the gospel in relation to Christ and the passion.

Throughout the analysis, Brown provides ample visual example to bolster claims. This is why the Brown source proves invaluable as a reference point for my research. Brown's argument on the sacred and profane in art centers much on the issue of nudity. There are a whole host of other potentially "profane" elements that can and should be evaluated separately in other resources. Because nudity when rendering the human body in its ideal form became central to the canon of Renaissance painting in Italy, this subject remains central to the discussion.

Furthermore, the Brown resource is excellent in the way it focuses as much on history, Church doctrine, and other.