The Cult of the Virgin Mary in Early Modern Germany

What happened to the fervent Marian piety of the late Middle Ages during Germany''s Reformation and Counter-Reformation? It has been widely assumed that Mary disappeared from Protestant devotional life and subsequently became a figurehead for the Catholic Church''s campaign of religious reconquest. This book presents a more finely nuanced account of the Virgin''s significance. In many Lutheran territories Marian liturgy and images - from magnificent altarpieces to simple paintings and prints - survived though their meaning was transformed. In Catholic areas baroque art and piety flourished but the militant Virgin associated with the Counter-Reformation did not always dominate religious devotion. Traditional manifestations of Marian veneration persisted despite the post-Tridentine Church''s attempts to dictate a uniform style of religious life. This book demonstrates that local context played a key role in shaping Marian piety and explores the significance of this diversity of Marian practice for women''s and men''s experiences of religious change.