Study for the Trial of Saint Dominic's and Albigensian Books by Fire 1614 - 1616

Leonello Spada made this drawing, Study for the Trial of Saint Dominic's and Albigensian Books by Fire, using pen and brown ink, with brown wash, on pale brown paper. The sepia tones give the drawing a certain warmth but also hint at the somber scene it depicts. Look at how Spada has structured the composition. The figures are clustered around a central event—the burning of books—but are arranged to lead your eye upward, towards the angels hovering above. This upward movement is countered by the grounded figures and architectural elements, creating a visual tension. The lines, though fluid, are deliberately stark, leaving much to the imagination. Spada's technique here suggests an interest in the interplay between revelation and concealment, mirroring the ideological battles depicted. What do we see, and what remains hidden or obscured by dogma? Spada challenges us to look beyond the surface and question what is being presented.