Catafalque for funeral in Pisa 1735 - 1765

Editor: Here we have "Catafalque for funeral in Pisa", created sometime between 1735 and 1765 by an anonymous artist, rendered in ink and pen. It’s currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The overwhelming presence of skeletons gives it quite a macabre feel. How do you interpret the composition of this drawing? Curator: The piece exhibits a pronounced hierarchical structure. Note how the catafalque, a constructed platform, rises in stages. This tiered organization draws the eye upward, creating a visual path that culminates in the winged skeletal figure. The ink and pen work emphasize line, volume and ornate detail to the form of a Baroque structure. Editor: The skeletons are arranged very deliberately. I see them pulling at ropes, supporting the structure. Is there a specific reason? Curator: Precisely. The skeletal figures aren't randomly placed, their actions serve to visually support the symbolic weight of the catafalque, emphasizing a preoccupation with vanitas. The arrangement of the figures, as well as other motifs such as candles, seem intentionally theatrical. Can you sense any relationship between the architectural structure and this theater? Editor: It’s definitely dramatic. The structure itself looks almost like a stage! Curator: The visual interplay between these levels generates symbolic tension, prompting a careful contemplation of mortality and impermanence. Also, consider how the materiality of the drawing – the lines created by the pen – contributes to the ephemeral and fragile quality of the depicted scene. Editor: Seeing the architecture as another element, and the lines creating the drama, is interesting. Thanks for pointing those out. Curator: Understanding the relationship between formal structure, the deployment of line, and allegorical intent allows us to unlock some of the deeper concerns of this Baroque piece.