Tullia Driving Her Chariot over the Body of Her Father 1652 - 1673

Ciro Ferri made this drawing of Tullia in 17th-century Italy using pen and brown ink with brown wash over graphite. It depicts a scene from Roman history, one charged with patricidal violence. The image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. Ferri was a student of Pietro da Cortona, the leading master of Baroque painting in Rome, who he assisted in the decoration of the Palazzo Pitti in Florence. Ferri became an important painter and architect in his own right, whose works served the political ambitions of the Florentine aristocracy. This artwork and others like it served as vehicles for political and social commentary, reflecting the values, beliefs, and power dynamics of its time. It offers a glimpse into the mindset of Ferri and his contemporaries, inviting us to reflect on the timeless themes of power, morality, and human nature. Historical sources such as letters, diaries, and state records would help us to understand this drawing better.