If most artists tend to be atheists/agnostic/nonreligious, then how come there are so many famous paintings?

Question

of Jesus and the Virgin Mary?

Or is it different because that was so long ago, when they were painted?

Answer 1

The large majority of those religious paintings were from a time period where religion was really in charge of the art world. The religous were the patrons of art so the artist would paint what would sell. Especially during the reformation/countereformation which gave birth to baroque religious paintings which are the most well known religious works. I twas used as atool for propoganda.... And by the way most artists of the past were religious.

Answer 2

Yeah, like the first guy said, I don't know that artists are more or less believing than other groups. . .but there are so many religious paintings because most of them were done long ago, when people WERE much more religious (or at least, had to pretend to be as such), and besides, religious patrons commissioned artists to do Christian-themed works of art for money--Michelangelo had to pay for those paints somehow, you know.;) Hope that helped!

Answer 3

According to NY art critic and historian Thomas McEvilley, who teaches "Art and the Mind" at Rice University in Houston, all art throughout history has reflected divine spiritual themes, usually along the lines of sex, life and death.

From the earliest art, which depicted either Earth/fertility Goddesses and Mondala symbols of the world/creation, to cave paintings of the hunt; through the church years where religious themes and wealthy art patrons dominated paintings as you mention; to the age of reason, rationalist thought and even post-modern trends where the artist is revered as the "divine genius" who still rebels against traditional concepts of art and social institutions to make political statements -- all art has been inspired by the spiritual drive, whether viewed as religious or political. The dominant themes and expressions merely change through time, to reflect the stages of human evolution.

Answer 4

Painters usually paint to make a living, thus any popular theme of the day, from personal portraits to religious ikon's are painted to make them interesting to buyers; that is why what they paint has nothing to do with their personal religious convictions.
Sometimes there are exceptions, Davincis "Last supper" seems to be full of his personal religious biases about Catholicism. The wine chalice for the mass is missing, there seems to be a woman siting next to Jesus, there are menacing jests, and knives, etc.

Answer 5

Religious art is not against the 10 commandments unless someone is bowing down before it and worshipping it. Hanging in your home or even the Church is ok as long as your object of worship is the Savior. (I don't really understand how the whole Mary thing got started, but I'll save that for the religion part of Yahoo! Answers.)

Answer 6

Because most famous paintings were painted when you either believed in myths or you were killed. Even if you didn't believe, you acted like you did.
Yet the strange thing is that all these paintings are forbidden by the ten commandments... funny how the church doesn't care.

Answer 7

For the same reason that one of the largest purchaser of printed materials are religious organizations. They have money. Lots of it. If you want to make a living and what you have to sell is of interest to churches, whether you are religious or not, you do what they will pay for.

Answer 8

you'll be able to desire to look up Hieronymous Bosch, He became into residing around the comparable time as Da Vinci yet made loopy paintings full of symbolism and different issues, very busy paintings and are exciting ( in the event that they dont scare the crap out you or your instructor)... :) -...( and that i dont recommend once you're under sixteen yrs previous)

Answer 9

Because the church bought a lot of paintings .. .so you painted what would sell . . .

Answer 10

I am not sure that artists do tend to disbelieve more than any other group.