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USE AND DEVELOPMENT: Guilds and institutions

Anonymous master, Crucifixion with the Saints Catherine and Barbara

The living devotion and inspiring religiousness, by which self-conscious urban populations manifested themselves as a community, were expressed in the church buildings in a tasteful manner that was visible for everyone. Guilds and craft associations built altars and chapels in them, had glass windows painted, erected holy images and tableaux, provided for wall murals to be made and gave paraments (liturgical objects made of textiles) or precious metalwork for worship. Each craft or guild had its place in the church, ornamented as richly as possible for the veneration of God and to the glory of the craft or guild.

Lieve Loos