Being founded upon the book «Instructions on religious and secular images» (1582), the article examines cardinal Gabriele Paleotti’s views on sacred art. The author explores the issue of perception of painting as a God-pleasing art, exposes the ideological aspect of sacred painting and reveals the cardinal’s complex evidence base on the need for the existence of religious images in churches and their significance in the life of every person. It is concluded that objects of art should be perceived not only as an artistic commentary on the text of Holy Scripture, but also as a prayer image that plays a cohesive role in interlocution with God.