The influence of the Jesuit order on religious art of the seventeenth century in Italy and Spain

Author

Martha Ruth Dameron, Washington University in St. Louis

Abstract

In most text-books on the History of Art there was formerly an appalling discrepancy in the continuity of the discussion between the Renaissance and the Modern period, thereby unjustifiably omitting the Baroque. At the present writing, the Baroque style is popular once more. In regard to this point it might be opportune to moralize upon the state of flux in which popular taste always exists and the danger and even the futility of makinv conclusive authoritative criticisms. But this is not a defense of Baroque art. Nor is it an apology. Indeed, the whole constroversy regarding the merits of art of the seventeenth century is avoided here, not for fear of becoming involved in esoterics, but for the simple reason that such a discussion would be out of place. The intention here is to show the infleuce of the Society of Jesus upon Baroque art. Frequently critics allude rather vaguely to the connection of the Jesuit Order with the Baroque style. Some writers refer to the Jesuits as the promulgators and glorifiers of Baroque art: others have accused them of being its perpetrators. For the most part there is nothing specific in any of these obscure imitations and always such generalities have little or no meaning. Father Joseph Braun, S.J., has written on Jesuit eccleciastical architecture and Walther Weibel has shown the relationship of Bernini to the Order. But nowhere has such material been assembled and made into an accessible and useful form. There has been no single work in which an effort is made to pout out specific Jesuit influences in all branches of the arts. Within the limited scope of a Master's Thesis no conclusions can be made with absolute finality but it is hoped that the examination and presentation of this material may prove to be a step in the right direction.

Comments

Print version in library: https://catalog.wustl.edu:443/record=b1438962~S2

Author's Department

Graduate School of Architecture

Document Type

Restricted Thesis

Date of Award

6-1-1940

Language

English (en)

Recommended Citation

Dameron, Martha Ruth, "The influence of the Jesuit order on religious art of the seventeenth century in Italy and Spain" (1940). Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design Theses & Dissertations. 16.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/samfox_arch_etds/16