The Council of Trent with Saint Thomas Vanquishing the Heretics c. 1680

Biagio Falcieri created this drawing of The Council of Trent with Saint Thomas Vanquishing the Heretics sometime between 1628 and 1703. Look at the layered composition, where the earthly and divine realms merge through intricate linework. The architecture of the church, rendered with meticulous detail, gives way to a celestial space filled with figures. The Council of Trent, the ecumenical council of the Catholic Church, sought to codify doctrine and reform practices. Observe how Falcieri uses the figure of Saint Thomas as a signifier of intellectual and spiritual authority, reinforcing the Church's position against heresy. Consider how the piece engages with questions of power, knowledge, and faith. The artist uses visual signs and cultural codes to reinforce the Church's authority, creating a narrative deeply embedded in the intellectual discourse of its time. This artwork challenges fixed meanings and invites us to consider its place within a specific historical and philosophical context.