Well, artists had to make their paintings visually pleasing, for their patrons and their audiences. They were not just Bible illustrators, they created grandiose works that were also a reflection of the fashion and taste of the time. Just look at a painting and enter in communion with the artist, what are the emotions, feelings that come to you, let it speak to you. That is what has worked for me, totally immersing myself into the painting and studying every detail. That is the beauty of art, it becomes a very personal interpretation.
Well said. My personal interpretation is that these out-of-context fripperies detract from the scene being presented, drawing my attention to themselves and away from the Biblical message. The artist thereby inserts himself into the picture, when I didn’t need him at all.