Saint Michael the Archangel and Another Figure Recommending a Soul to the Virgin and Child in Heaven 1629 - 1657

Bartolomeo Biscaino made this drawing using pen and brown ink with brown wash on cream laid paper. Here we see Saint Michael the Archangel petitioning the Virgin Mary, holding the Christ Child, to accept a soul into Heaven. Biscaino was working in mid-seventeenth century Genoa, a Republic at the time, which was dominated by the Catholic Church. The Church was a major patron of the arts, using imagery to communicate religious ideas. This drawing reflects the Catholic belief in intercession, where saints and the Virgin Mary can intervene on behalf of souls seeking salvation. The Virgin Mary in particular was seen as a compassionate figure who could appeal to her son, Jesus, on behalf of sinners. We can see the way that the Catholic Church used art to reinforce its authority and promote its teachings. To understand this drawing better, we could research the religious and artistic context of Genoa in the 17th century, studying the lives of the artists and the beliefs of the people. Art is always shaped by the society in which it is created.