Well back when it was Popes ordering art, it was to bring to life the events of the Bible to a largely illiterate populace who couldn’t even understand the Latin during the service.
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That and to show off the wealth and power the church had
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I’ll have to check that out.
I’m not sure why, but when I was a kid I really wanted to be an art forger. My 12 year old self’s assessment of his mad painterly skillz turned out to be… optimistic.
I found gainful employment elsewhere.
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I recently watched one doc about “The Spanish Master” who makes impressive fake antique Roman busts (almost always broken off at the shoulder/neck, as if they came from a larger statue.) And there are several about people who make fake documents and paintings.
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Famous ones, I assume. That would actually be pretty interesting - They thought this was the Mona Lisa for 200 years; this fake was bought for $20,000,000…
Presumably you could get museums to loan you their discovered fakes easily enough.
And your gift shop could be very interesting. For $20, a poster of a forgery of The Scream.
You could also offer classes on forging the masters.
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Mmm I feel that is a bit of a pessimistic statement. But not totally with out merit.
Walking around the Vatican is hilarious. The paintings on the ceilings mainly alternate between grizzled, grumpy prelates and young ladies, holing something allegorical, with their boobs out; but its okay, because they are allegorical. 
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@Faffenreffer @generic_name Yes and yes! Art and Craft is amazing. And I still wonder how many undiscovered van Meegerens there may be hanging on gallery walls. Hero or villain, it’s not always easy to say. Here’s one forger with an undeniable legacy; instead of fine art, he forged passports. Incredible! From NYT a couple years ago:
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So when is the auction?
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I loved the Vatican. My favorite was this giant mural of the King of Poland after defeating the Turks.
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I wonder what happened when an old master died, and a new heir to the throne came along.
“I wish to have a portrait like that one of my dad.”
“Ah, I regret to inform your highness that Mr Holbein is no longer with us… There are other artists available, though [sucks teeth] they’re no Holbeins.”
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Bien reçu.
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(Slightly NSFW)
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I don’t think it’s a matter or optimism/pessimism, it’s factual. The church held immense social and political influence, and them commissioning paintings, buildings, statues. etc in such an extravagant fashion was a power play. You don’t commission something like this because you’re being humble.
I do bring it up being critical on some level, but at the end of the day it’s the reality of things. However i do have a deep appreciation for what came out of Europe during the medieval age up to the renaissance, i did take a few years of art & art history after all and it continues to be a subject i love to learn about.
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Certainly not to auction houses.
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Change of name and slight tweak of the mission statement; problem gone!
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The “Printed By” at the bottom is always the giveaway.
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Right. You do it to exalt your God. As you do.
