8/1/07 - History of Art - Introduction: Church and Courts

There was a complex relationship between the church and courts in the middle ages. It is often difficult to tell when looking at art of the period whether they were designed for sacred or secular purposes, or perhaps for both. For example, are the concaves of certain French cathedrals religious in purpose or were they built for propaganda? Are the designs sacred art or royal iconographic imagery?

Artists in the middle ages were courtiers and public figures, yet most of their work came from the church, so we can expect both religious and courtly influences. Such artists include Raphael and Rubens.