The Cult of the Virgin Mary in Early Modern Germany
Author | : Bridget Heal |
Publisher | : Cambridge University Press |
Total Pages | : 0 |
Release | : 2014-11-06 |
ISBN-10 | : 1107449944 |
ISBN-13 | : 9781107449947 |
Rating | : 4/5 (947 Downloads) |
Download or read book The Cult of the Virgin Mary in Early Modern Germany written by Bridget Heal and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-11-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What happened to the fervent Marian piety of the late Middle Ages during Germany's Reformation and Counter-Reformation? It has been widely assumed that Mary disappeared from Protestant devotional life and subsequently became a figurehead for the Catholic Church's campaign of religious reconquest. This book presents a more finely nuanced account of the Virgin's significance. In many Lutheran territories Marian liturgy and images - from magnificent altarpieces to simple paintings and prints - survived, though their meaning was transformed. In Catholic areas baroque art and piety flourished, but the militant Virgin associated with the Counter-Reformation did not always dominate religious devotion. Traditional manifestations of Marian veneration persisted, despite the post-Tridentine Church's attempts to dictate a uniform style of religious life. This book demonstrates that local context played a key role in shaping Marian piety, and explores the significance of this diversity of Marian practice for women's and men's experiences of religious change.