Introduction
Protestantism emerged in Europe at the beginning of the 16th century as the opposition to the Roman Catholic Church and based on the belief in personal faith and the connection to God. Reformation had a direct impact on art as it undermined all the traditions of iconography. As Gardner and Kleiner note, Protestants believed that “representations of Christ, the Virgin, and saints could lead to idolatry” (p. 280.) Although Albrecht Dürer was influenced by Italian Renaissance art, he often referred to the ideas of Protestantism.
Main body
Dürer’s Four Apostles represent the artist’s support for Protestantism, especially Lutheranism. The first detail that speaks of it lies in the positioning of the apostles. Saint Peter and Saint Paul, who represent the Roman Catholic Church, are placed behind the evangelists John and Mark as Protestantism recognizes Gospel as its primary source. Moreover, Dürer’s apostles bear portraitlike features that oppose to the traditional imagery of catholic icons. The artist also added the quotations of the verses from the New Testament under each panel. The meaning of these inscriptions concerns the warning against false prophets whom Protestants were believed to come from the Catholic Church.
References
Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardner’s Art through the Ages: a Concise Global History. 3rd ed., Cengage Learning, 2017.