The Healing of the Possessed Boy in a Procession of the Volto Santo c. 1659

Elisabetta Sirani rendered this pen and brown ink drawing, "The Healing of the Possessed Boy in a Procession of the Volto Santo", in the 17th century. Sirani was from Bologna, a city then part of the Papal States, and her artistic production occurred within a society deeply shaped by its religious beliefs. Sirani's drawing depicts a dramatic scene, a public procession centered around the "Volto Santo," a relic believed to be a true image of Christ. This drawing is not merely a depiction of a religious event, but an exploration of faith, power, and the spectacle of healing within a specific cultural context. Sirani, as a woman artist in a male-dominated field, likely had a unique perspective on these themes. Notice the emotional intensity captured in the figures: the tormented boy, the solemn clergy, and the hopeful onlookers. In her own words, Sirani aimed to "move the soul" through her art. "The Healing of the Possessed Boy" reflects not only the religious fervor of 17th-century Bologna, but also Sirani's own artistic and personal journey as a woman navigating her identity within that world.