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 Sacred Europe Religion was the primary focus of European artistic production from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance, from around 800 until 1550. The Roman Catholic Church was the principal patron of art during this time. It commissioned countless works of art for churches, monasteries, and other seats of ecclesiastical authority. Individual patrons also commissioned religious subjects for their own chapels and residences or as gifts to parish churches. The form of devotional art depended on its function and location. This gallery contains large-scale church altarpieces and richly decorated liturgical objects. These were used to inspire and educate the faithful, teaching church doctrine visually to a largely illiterate public. Private devotions were served by modestly scaled paintings and portable altarpieces for personal use. These smaller works functioned as aids to contemplation and provided models of personal piety. A new European view of the position of humankind in the world developed in the period from the late Middle Ages to the Renaissance. From about 1400 to 1550, the literature and art of ancient civilizations—Greece and Rome—was increasingly available and studied. This resulted in an intellectual movement called Humanism, starting in Italy and spreading across Europe. It supported the idea that people were at the center of the universe and, as God's creation, both people and the natural world were divine. The earliest paintings in this gallery depict the holy figures removed from the natural world, depicted in a heavenly realm. This was accomplished through the use of gold backgrounds. By the mid-1400s, a new focus on humankind and the natural world can be seen in a turn to increased naturalism in figures and setting along with more convincing depth and space in painting. This was first signaled by decorative foliage, which was replaced within a single generation by complete natural and household settings and contemporary dress and pose for religious stories. The Renaissance view of people's place in the world and their relationship with God changed the representation of holy figures from a celestial and removed realm to an earthly, yet idealized, location. The result was sacred subjects that were more human and accessible to the faithful. Images of saints have long been an important part of Christian art. Saints served as examples of piety and faith and were believed to provide protection, inspiration, comfort, and assistance with human suffering. These saints—patron saints, as they are often called—became the focus of great devotion. Cults arose around them as prayers were answered and miracles occurred. Saints were chosen for prayer through a web of allegiances. People were named after saints—Peter or Mary, for example. Prominent families, most professions and guilds, parish churches, and even cities had patron saints. Lastly, there were myriad saints for specific crises and life events, such as childbirth, plague, and travel. For more information on our European Collection, please visit our online catalogue.
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