Art, Piety and Destruction in the Christian West, 1500–1700 (review)

A collection of essays, 'Art, Piety and Destruction in the Christian West, 1500–1700,' edited by Virginia Chieffo Raguin, challenges conventional narratives about iconoclasm and censorship during the early modern period. Instead of focusing solely on destruction, it highlights how medieval cult objects were reclassified as 'art' or material culture, gaining new historical significance and power. The volume explores this shift through case studies across Germany, England, France, Italy, Mexico, and the United States, examining social forces such as historic preservation that mitigated negative outcomes. It also delves into the transvaluation of Catholic visual images following the rise of Protestantism, the invention of distinct Protestant imagery, and the complex interactions between patrons, artists, and churches in the commissioning and reception of works. The research employs thick historical analysis and theoretical frameworks, including those by Pierre Bourdieu, to elaborate on the social and historical contingencies of ascribed value.

Caviness, M. H. (2012). Art, Piety and Destruction in the Christian West, 1500–1700 (review). The Catholic Historical Review, 98(1), 112–114. https://doi.org/10.1353/cat.2012.0001