The Punk Rocker of the Northern Renaissance: How Pieter Aertsen’s Meat Stall Broke the Boundaries
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
The sixteenth-century Dutch painter Pieter Aertsen completed The Meat Stall in Antwerp in 1551. At its surface, The Meat Stall appears as a mere visual assault of viscera. However, upon closer examination, several religious metaphors and a biblical scene emerge. Scholars credit Aertsen with creating a unique approach to everyday life scenes, expanding on the genre painting type. However, The Meat Stall’s significance extends beyond conceptualizing an art movement; it responds to the ongoing Protestant Reformation in Northern Europe. With Martin Luther and his followers weakening the Catholic stronghold in Europe, artists, including Aertsen, were looking for methods to safely criticize the severe tension between the two branches of Christian faith while salvaging their careers. Although scholars have acknowledged the impact of the Protestant Reformation on Aertsen’s The Meat Stall, this paper examines how he utilized revolting imagery as a form of satire to accessibly share moral lessons to the less privileged working class.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Anne Muraoka
College Affiliation
College of Arts & Letters
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Disciplines
Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture
Session Title
Art History 2: Identity and Society
Location
Zoom Room L
Start Date
3-20-2021 11:00 AM
End Date
3-20-2021 11:55 AM
The Punk Rocker of the Northern Renaissance: How Pieter Aertsen’s Meat Stall Broke the Boundaries
Zoom Room L
The sixteenth-century Dutch painter Pieter Aertsen completed The Meat Stall in Antwerp in 1551. At its surface, The Meat Stall appears as a mere visual assault of viscera. However, upon closer examination, several religious metaphors and a biblical scene emerge. Scholars credit Aertsen with creating a unique approach to everyday life scenes, expanding on the genre painting type. However, The Meat Stall’s significance extends beyond conceptualizing an art movement; it responds to the ongoing Protestant Reformation in Northern Europe. With Martin Luther and his followers weakening the Catholic stronghold in Europe, artists, including Aertsen, were looking for methods to safely criticize the severe tension between the two branches of Christian faith while salvaging their careers. Although scholars have acknowledged the impact of the Protestant Reformation on Aertsen’s The Meat Stall, this paper examines how he utilized revolting imagery as a form of satire to accessibly share moral lessons to the less privileged working class.