Citing specific paintings or works of architecture, discuss the way that popes and cardinals used the arts to emphasize their own power, wealth, and superiority.

What will be an ideal response?

Popes and cardinals redesigned Rome’s streets and plazas and commissioned monuments and palaces that would enhance the image of the Church, Rome, and themselves. Specifically, the influence of Pope Julius II in the design program of the Sistine Chapel ceiling can be seen in the inclusion of the heraldic symbols of oak and acorn, indicating the pope’s patronage. His decision to demolish Old St. Peter’s Basilica and erect a new one was the ultimate expression of his majesty and power.