ABSTRACT
Julius III, Paul IV and Pius IV shaped papal imagery between 1550 and 1565, during and immediately after the Council of Trent. As Julius III, Paul IV and Pius IV each adopt a different strategy to deal with Church Reform, this time period can be looked at as an experimental phase for artistic propaganda or even as a laboratory for a new papal media strategy. Instead of pushing Church Reform concerning bishops, and by extension, the papal curia, the Council focused on less politically sensitive subjects. In its early years, the Council worked on theological foundations of the Church, emphasizing ecclesiastic tradition and continuity. In Rome, Julius III's love for borderline racy festivities was highly popular among the citizens. Julius III's entertainment policy was seen as the political program of a good ruler, dedicated to the well-being of his subjects.
