Which of the following images would most likely have been approved by the Protestants following the Reformation? a. The Gero cru
cifix. Jesus is nailed to a cross with a sun behind it. The crucifix is painted gold. b. The Payment of the Tribute Money fresco in the Brancacci Chapel by Masaccio. People stand in front of a building with mountains and trees in the background. c. A self-portrait of Albrecht Durer. d. The Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grunewald. Saint John the Baptist points at Jesus on the cross with the Lamb of God. Three other figures look sadly at Jesus.
The Protestant was a break away from the Catholic church which was the dominant religion, and which also influenced religion in the 16th century. One of the major beliefs rejected by the protestants was the use of images in worship. The protestants believed that there should be a direct connection with God in worship devoid of images. Therefore, any representation of Jesus would have been rejected by the Protestants after the reformation.
The ideas promoted by the protestant would lead to more exposure and originality in arts. Albert Durer was a foremost protestant and diagrammatic painter at that time. Martin Luther who championed the protestant course at that time believed that the fact that images were sometimes abused should not lead to the total abolishing of them. So a self-portrait of the artist would not have offended the protestants so long as it was not used in worship.
