Head of a Bearded Man Looking to Upper Left (Saint Ambrose) 1625 - 1713

Carlo Maratti rendered this study of Saint Ambrose’s head in sanguine chalk. Observe the upward gaze, a motif deeply embedded in the visual language of religious ecstasy and divine inspiration. This gesture, laden with centuries of symbolic weight, echoes through time. Think of Bernini's Saint Teresa, similarly caught in a moment of transcendent vision, or even earlier depictions of Plato contemplating the heavens. The rolling eyes and parted lips speak to a deeply ingrained human impulse: the yearning for connection with the divine, a motif stretching back to antiquity. It is a movement that carries the emotional weight of human aspiration—an expression of hope. The motif reappears, reshaped by time and culture, yet it remains as a powerful force, engaging us on a subconscious level. What began as religious devotion evolves into a broader symbol of enlightenment, resurfacing and taking on new meanings in different historical contexts.