Allegorical Figures Seen from Below 

Domenico Maria Canuti created this drawing of allegorical figures with pen and brown ink, heightened with white gouache and blue wash, on brownish paper in the 17th century. Canuti lived in a time when the Catholic Church was a major patron of the arts, particularly for grand ceiling frescoes meant to inspire religious fervor. Here, Canuti grapples with representing the divine, while likely contemplating his own place within the rigid social hierarchies of his time. The figures, caught in dynamic poses, seem to float effortlessly against the ground. This work showcases Canuti's mastery of foreshortening and perspective, essential skills for creating the illusion of depth in ceiling paintings. What does it mean to look up to these figures? And what did it mean for Canuti to have the skills to represent them? The drawing perhaps captures a moment of seeking to envision the heavens, while being grounded in the realities of earthly existence.