Light and Darkness in Counter-Reformation Painting of Repentance

In the late sixteenth century, a distinctive Italian painting style emerged, characterized by the contrast of light and darkness, known as chiaroscuro. While this artistic development is often seen as a stylistic or optical advancement, My PhD dissertation argues that the light-dark interplay in Italian Counter-Reformation paintings, especially those showing a repentant figure, has deep theological and intellectual roots. Grounded in the writings on repentance, these paintings were meant to engage viewers and encourage their own repentance. The study will explore how the spirituality that emerged during the Counter-Reformation influenced the use of light and darkness, focusing on painters who incorporated these ideas and examining evidence of audience responses. This thesis will argue that without this theological context, our understanding of the era’s painting style and light manipulation would be incomplete.

Faculty Supervisor:

Steven Stowell

Student:

Partner:

Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education; Other; Entertainment and Media

University:

Concordia University

Program: