“Savanarola and his followers also had quite a problem with some church art.”
Their problem regarded what they considered obscene or extravagant patronage or pagan. They had nothing against beauty in itself. All anyone has to do is look at the sheer dourness of Northern Protestantism - especially Puritanism - to see what I am saying is true.
Botticelli, apparently inspired by a sermon from Savonarola, painted this: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Mystic_Nativity%2C_Sandro_Botticelli.jpg Clearly Botticelli did not believe Savonarola was against beauty. And Botticelli burned some of his work at the request of Savonarola.
***And Botticelli burned some of his work at the request of Savonarola.***
Since one did not go to Hobby Lobby to get paint back in those days, his burning his own paintings must have been a real critical decision for him.
But then, Fredrick Remington also burned a lot of his paintings, thankfully after they were printed so we still have copies.
I’ve a short biography of Savonarola. He appeared to be a deeply spiritual man.
