The Church, Lay Devotion and Veneration in the Apocalypse - Article Example

David Price’s article entitled, “Albrecht Durer’s Representations of Faith: The Church, Lay Devotion and Veneration in the Apocalypse” (1498), presents very interesting arguments about the artistic interpretations of Albrecht Durer’s woodcuts, the Apocalypse. Durer’s work, according to Price’s analysis, shows the state of the Church at the time when the religion’s morality was twisted and the dawn for the Reformation Period was at hand. Price’s article dwells on the single argument that Durer’s Apocalypse tell about the destruction of political and religious hierarchy and the positive outlook on the devotion and veneration of lay people. He proves this by citing several critics of Durer and their individual analysis on the artist’s woodcuts. The author’s approach is very intelligent in the sense that different point of views are taken into account, thus creating a single theme which justifies his thesis statement. His methodology underlines accuracy for it directly examines the art work, while espousing critical analysis provided by his research on varying critiques. The Church in the Apocalypse Many critics mentioned by Price often regard Durer as a political revolutionary or an ecclesiastical heretic. An example of this is Alexander Perrig’s interpretation of Durer’s work as an utmost criticism of the Church and one that promotes anti-papalism amongst the various papal-oriented states at that time. He expounds on the Revelation and the emergence of the anti-Christ on the event of the decline of the political and ecclesiastical powers. The article delves deep by citing several of Durer’s woodcuts which shows such nature of religious and political decline: (1) in the “Four Horsemen”, the emperor had appeared to be the casualty for destruction, (2) in the “Breaking of the Fifth and Sixth Seals”, the emperor is again put at the challenge to signify political decline, and (3) in the “Four Avenging Winds”, the pope takes part in the demise of power. Another striking revelation in Durer’s woodcuts would be the repeated emergence of the Turk, cloaked as the Roman emperor. This bluntly suggests a blatant expression of discontent within the political domain at that time. Also, it captures the connotation that the pope is himself a pagan, as per Perrig’s interpretation. Price discusses further by naming the Turkish emperor as Domitian, and that his reign is a concrete example of the decline of the Roman power to the dictates of the Muslim Ottoman Empire. He also associates such as the fall of Christianity and the rise of their Muslim rivals. What was depicted in the mentioned woodcuts of Durer is a very logical translation of the social, religious and political context of the artist. Price implies that through the varying interpretations of different critics of the Apocalypse, one common theme emerges: the overthrow and the corruption of worldly power. All of these present the demise of political and religious power where cardinals, popes, bishops, emperors and kings have been corrupted by the conditions of their respective times. Indeed, Price is accurate in his assumption of the mentioned theme because historical events themselves have shown how the corruption of religious and political duties caused the Reformation Period. The selling of church offices, the decline of morality amongst the clergy and the looming indulgences demanded by a seemingly religious obligation attest to the realities of the 15th century. The church’s monopoly of influence amongst several states allowed them to control the minds of the people and thus, had established the religious institution as a corrupt hegemon at that time. The Lay Devotion and Veneration in the Apocalypse When the church was negatively portrayed in Durer’s woodcuts, the laity was, however, uplifted and viewed positively in the artist’s works. In the woodcuts, namely the “Adoration of the Lamb”, the “Four Angels Holding the Winds”, the “Opening of the Fifth and Sixth Seals”, and the “Four Avenging Angels”, the religious veneration and devotion of the laity remained unquestionable. A common image in the mentioned is the depiction of common people prostrating before religious images and figures in order to uphold religious practice. The poor, especially children, are also looked upon as the bastion of faith in Durer’s works where they express worship amidst their dire state of nudity. Price views these woodcuts as the concrete balance to the corruption and decline of power in the case of the political and religious leaders, as mentioned earlier. When in the artwork, the hierarchy of leaders are lambasted by Durer in his satire and direct imagery; the common people are shown as the ones who remain true to the tenets of Christianity. The common people, in this case, become the authentic followers of the true message of religion. Price also assumes in the article that the lay people become victims of the corrupted minds of their political and religious leaders. Going back to the historical context of the 15th century, the church as an institution had been transformed into a corporation of quasi-capitalists who make money in the name of God. Their means are mentioned in the earlier parts where the common people freely submit for the sake of his or her devotion. The genuine veneration and devotion for God had been transformed into a simple money-making scheme by their religious leaders, sometimes instigated by their political figures. One aspect by which Price sees the devotion and veneration of the laity positively is when Durer depicts in detail the importance of religious practices and traditions. The Christian culture is thus given credence, let alone the corruption that had emerged out of such practices. In one of the woodcuts, according to Price, the artist gave much attention to the routine celebration of the Ash Wednesday. The proper vestments worn by the local priest were stressed in the woodcut: the pluvial and the ornate clerical vestment. Price also talks about Durer’s message with concern to the utmost importance in the understanding of God’s word. A specific woodcut of such can be observed in Durer’s “John Devouring the Book”, where John is directed towards the Ark of the Covenant and that he literally prepares to eat the book. This is interpreted by Price as the layperson’s knowledge of the word of God should not yield with the personal interaction with the script, but with the proper intervention and enlightenment of the divine of duly appointed individuals. This means that discernment of the word could be made complete with the help of the religious institution, their teaching and one’s loyalty to the message of the word. The Ark of the Covenant, in this woodcut, symbolizes as the Holy Scriptures by where all sources of religious texts and the production of religious knowledge are taken from. With the Ark of the Covenant at hand, Price mentions the importance of such artifact in Durer’s Apocalypse in the image of the altar. The repeated appearance of such religious object in several of the artist’s woodcuts, namely the “Opening of the Fifth and Sixth Seals”, “Seven Trumpets”, and the “Four Avenging Angels”, show the strong veneration and devotion of the laity to the practices and traditions of their faith. In the last two woodcuts, the altars go with striking figures such as clerics and angels who deliver the word of God. Price interpreted this as the most important aspect of the church because it is the area where the devotees look to, the area where the presence of Christ is most felt. Hence, the impact of the altar for the laity becomes one of the tributary aspects to the strengthened inclinations of the people to their faith. It serves as one of the most important messages of Durer’s art piece. For this positive outlook or interpretation of Durer’s Apocalypse, Price clearly singles out the minute details of the characters included in his series of woodcuts. He gives credence to the factors that form the core of the faithful’s devotion and veneration to God – one that is free from any form of abuse or corruption, as according to Price’s inferences. These factors include the important religious routines and traditions, the deeper discernment of the word of God, and the representation of Christ through the altar in the church. Read More