Kings, Bishops and Popes: design for ceiling. 1696 - 1782

Francesco de Mura rendered this design for a ceiling with pen and brown ink in eighteenth-century Italy. It depicts Kings, Bishops, and Popes floating on clouds. This drawing acts as a window into the religious and political climate of the time. The figures, identifiable by their attire and symbols of power, suggest a divinely ordained hierarchy. De Mura worked during a period when the Catholic Church still wielded significant influence over Italian society and politics. This composition, in which church authorities occupy the highest position, likely reflects the conservative values of his patrons and their belief in established hierarchies. To understand this work, historians might study the history of the Catholic Church in Southern Italy, the patronage system that shaped artistic production, and the socio-political role of art in reinforcing power structures. Art like this reminds us of the complex interplay between artistic expression and social context.