What Are The Major Influences That Changed The Northern Renaissance Art Style

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One of the major influences that changed the Northern Renaissance art style was the Reformation and the establishment of the Protestant church. Before Martin Luther came along, Italian Catholic cathedrals were donned with decoration with religious themes. They believed that they brought communication with God. Controversy, the protestants believed art and images of the like distracted those from God and would lead to adultery and other acts of sin. Therefore, the people of the Protestant church decided to instead create works of art with secular, mythological, or macabre themes, as well as portraits. With these, they would include iconography, or symbolism to illustrate the hidden religious meanings. Artists from the Northern Renaissance were also extremely influenced by humanism derived from Italy. The classical culture and ideas were taught to them and used in their art as a way to reconcile it with Christianity. Some Italian styled elements were also used in Northern Renaissance architecture. …show more content…

Bruegel was dedicated to depicted real people doing real things, the only difference being with no classical elements or styles involved. One such painting, titled Netherlandish Proverbs, depicts a birds eye view of a Netherland village full of people performing an array of activities. His style, and specifically this piece, is very reminiscent of the Hieronymus Bosch, who was extremely ahead of his time for the Renaissance. The painting is full of clever and detailed imagery and proverbs that have been taken quite literally. His goal of his painting was to “illustrate the universal stupidity of man,” as well a view of the present day society in which he

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