Wall Monument 1500 - 1600

This wall monument was drawn by an anonymous artist with pen and brown ink, with brush and brown wash, over graphite. The monument is a constructed form. Created not to remember loss but to project power. We see cherubs at the top who celebrate the importance of this monument, drawing our eyes to the blank space on the wall, a tabula rasa ready to be inscribed with a proclamation. This drawing provides an insight into the way the institution of the Catholic Church used art to express power and influence in the early modern period. This image is a potent reminder of how art could be deployed to create a sense of awe. Art history is about unlocking the codes and contexts that give these images meaning, by looking into archives and other historical sources.