[The Role of Imagery in Christianity]

To start, we need to understand the role of religious imagery initially from the Medieval Europe era. Elite Christians wanted to make scriptures easily accessible to illiterate ,and commissioned people to do so. Below-Autun Cathedral

Visual imagery was the solution. For example, the Last Judgement Panel of Autun Cathedral show Jesus in an ideal form in the center shrouded in a oval ring. On one side, fortunate souls are put on the bus to heaven meanwhile some are tortured by demons, thin grotesque forms.

This gave the message to ones who entered the cathedral. One who follows the teachings will have a fortunate afterlife but those who don’t will be punished.

Fast forward to the Renaissance, Christian elite especially those residing at the Vatican commissioned artists for their own purposes. Some notable examples- Sistine Chapel murals, David sculptures and etc.

Pieta is defined as a sculptural depiction of Virgin Mary and her son, Jesus. Michelangelo’s famous depiction of Pieta was commissioned on a whim by Cardinal Jean de Bilhères-Lagraulas, a French ambassador for the Holy See, pope’s jurisdiction, for his tomb.

This practice of commissioning for funerary chapels continued into the Baroque era. Bernini was commissioned to do Ecstasy of Saint Theresa by Cardinal Federico Cornaro for his bursley chapel in Santa Maria Della Vittoria.

Visual imageries were used to show displays of wealth through commissions and illiterate to understand the scriptures’ and their intent.
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To add- This thread may be ending up being Pt.1. I’m thinking of potentially adding more to this.