Key Causes of the Reformation and its Impact on the Arts

 The main causes that lead to the protestant reformation were due in part to corruption, incompetence, nationalism and growing cries from humanists.  Due in part to these factors the protestant reformation began.  One of the biggest problems that led to the division within the church was the extreme levels of corruption and incompetence from priests and other high ranking church officials.  Many priests were found to be illiterate when it came to Latin the language printed on the bible and the instalment of papacy where through money and church "donations" one could reach salvation. These were the big reasons as to why Martin Luther and many others were fed up with the church. Another reason was the "rising sense of nationalism in Europe combined with increasing resentment made by papacy, many of which ignored the rights of individual countries"(Chapter 14, 329).  This growing nationalism stroked by the flames of papacy also encouraged the masses and other leaders to become skeptical or leave the church.  Besides Martin Luther's outcry against the church, there had been much growing outcries from other humanists for change within the church.  The main causes for the reformation stemmed from the coherent corruption within failure of Latin teachings to local priests and growing outcries from fellow humanists, European people and its leaders all culminating to the growing split in Christianity and the church.

 Hanging the 95 theses to begin the Reformation
Martin Luther
1517

Papacy was one of the major decisions made by the Holy roman Church that truly solidified its split within the church.  Much of the money was taken from France, England, Germany, and Spain.  To compensate the rulers of these lands the church gave large sums of florins to its leaders in order to continue papacy.  All kingdoms were paid a generous sum except for Germanys ruler starting the growing disdain of papacy within Europe.  Aside from the reallocation of funds for the church to other states a quote that truly signifies the downfall and reasoning for Martins' separation from church "As soon as the money in the coffers rings, the soul from the purgatory springs" ( Varickayil, 19).  This quote demonstrates all the woes with the church and use of papacy.  Overall, Papacy or the collection of money for salvation is one of the largest reasons as to why Martin Luther and many other Europeans chose to split from the Holy Roman Church.  

Martin Luther
Philosopher
1483-1546

Another key question about the reformation is what happened to artwork and commissions from other artists.  During the Protestant Reformation there was a large decline in artwork and commissions, especially where the reformation was strongest or in full swing. the only place that didn't decline in art was "except for the single exception Rembrandt (and this exception is gigantic)"(Chapter 14, 332).  For the most part during the reformation art seemed to come to a halt at least requests from the church and leaders who followed the reformation.

                           A brief history made from National Geographic on the Reformation

Works Cited

Varickayil, Robert. “Social Origins of Protestant Reformation.” Social Scientist, vol. 8, no. 11, 1980, p. 14., https://doi.org/10.2307/3516750.