3.4 Purpose and Audience in Early European and Colonial American Art

Many architectural structures and paintings were commissioned for specific purposes. This guide will be an overview of the purposes of art within each artistic movement and the audiences they were created for.

During these periods, art primarily served religious purposes. The majority of the art was commissioned by the Church, and the audience was the clergy, visitors, and wealthy patrons. Artwork that was made for churches cathedrals were intended to educate and inspire the faithful. Some medieval art, like the Merovingian Fibulae, were signs of status and wealth. The various illuminated manuscripts, which display visual and textual elements, were used for personal devotion and portrayed biblical narratives.

The main purpose of Islamic art was to honor God, and most artwork was created for mosques and other religious buildings. Furthermore, as Islam spread into parts of Europe, Islamic art was also used to promote the wealth and power of its rulers. The primary audience was the Muslim community, however, non-Muslim people who lived in Islamic areas also interacted with the art.

Similar to what was previously discussed, Romanesque artwork also served religious purposes and was commissioned by the church. However, as pilgrimages (a religious journey embarked by some to become closer to God) became popular, religious buildings like the Church of Sainte-Foy, was not only used by visitors for worship, but also as shelter. (Think of these churches as a modern-day rest stop. They were built along pilgrimage roads, and were specifically designed to account for the number of traveling visitors 🧠).

During the Renaissance, the purpose of art began to include secular themes and the celebration of the individual. That is not to say the church no longer played a role. The Protestant Reformation in Northern Europe led to new styles of religious art, like the Annunciation Triptych, that was used for personal devotion and prayer. Furthermore, the Catholic Church continued to commission art work as a way to counter the growing influence of the Protestants, which is known as the Counter-Reformation (we will discuss this soon with Baroque Art). Nevertheless, the audience for Renaissance art was mainly the wealthy patrons who commissioned the works (example: Arnolfini Portrait); but art was also accessible to wider audiences.

Baroque art was highly dramatized and its purpose was to create an emotional response in the viewer. The Catholic Church was a significant patron in Baroque art because they hoped to promote religious ideologies and re-establish their dominance in the world by presenting their wealth and prestige. Baroque art was sometimes used as propaganda by the Catholic Church, as a part of the Counter-Reformation. The audience of Baroque art is the general population and Catholic communities.

In colonial America, the purpose of art was to document and celebrate the new world. The audience of Colonial art were mainly its European patrons.