Counter Reformation Religion

The Counter Reformation took place at a time when the roman church had been exploiting people’s faith to make money. The reformation sought to right this by pushing away and forming the Protestant group. One of the Protestant’s claims was that art was bad for religion. The Protestants’ view was that art was just a flashy annoyance that took away from the holy message of the church. In response, the Counter Reformation began. Those in the Counter Reformation took every step to show how art could be beneficial to religion. They used various mediums and artists to prove that art was not only a good thing, but that it enhanced the teachings of the church. There are many examples of this, but the church called Il Gesù contains several instances …show more content…
So then Giacomo della Porta took over. The façade is arranged both horizontally and vertically with rhythmic placements of pilasters and geometric elements such as lunettes, pediments, and valoots. The overall design is symmetrical and the features work together to lead the eye upward. Although this is an elaborate façade which would not be appreciated by the protestants due to (perhaps_ its perceived frivolity, this space is important and effective in its own right. It clearly denotes the doorway by having it pushed out toward the viewer. It is also topped by a lunette nestled beneath a pediment. This aids the building in appearing more inviting. The other elements on the façade are composed in an intricate and dynamic configuration which holds the viewer’s interest and could be read as if to say that this magnificence is the glory of god. So not only is the façade inviting, it is also a (heavy-handed) hint at what lays inside. To top this off, literally, is the fact that the composition leads the eye upward in a kind of axis mundi. This ties in nicely with the rest of the façade’s …show more content…
Together they essentially culminate in an advertisement for the church which leads people to believe that it has a true connection to heaven, and as such is the only way to salvation. The manipulation of the viewer’s emotions allows the church to bypass any logic about how repentance and entrance to heaven potentially works. An emotional appeal results in a more rash decision based on feelings rather than rational thoughts. This was beneficial because the Protestants were trying to show that art and the Roman church were bad for religion. By introducing an awe-inspiring façade, Constantine-inspired barrel vault, and a depiction of heaven breaking into our dimension, the church was able to show their connection to heaven in an interesting way. In conclusion, Il Gesù is a culmination of features which represent the ideas of the Counter Reformation. The Roman Church made an intriguing and emotionally manipulative beacon to the common people in an effort to keep interest in the Roman church and away from the Protestant