Routledge - The Idol in the Age of Art - Reformation History

Explore the complex relationship between religious imagery and identity in 'The Idol in the Age of Art'. As Catholic Europe fragmented after 1500, the distinction between sacred images and pagan idols became a central point of tension. This scholarly work examines how travelers encountering unfamiliar visual cultures and the rediscovery of the pagan past forced a reevaluation of what constitutes a holy object versus an idol. While historians often focus on the Reformation charges of idolatry that led to image-breaking, this book takes a different approach. It investigates how the concept of the idol influenced both the creation and the destruction of art during the Early Modern period. Part of the St Andrews Studies in Reformation History, this text provides a deep look at how ideas about idols shaped the social and religious landscape of the era. It is an essential resource for those interested in the history of art, religion, and the evolving definitions of the sacred in the early modern world.