Design for a Ceiling with a Woman (Aurora?) in a Chariot and Putti (Recto). Design for an Ornamental Frieze (Verso). 1537 - 1586

This is Marco Angolo del Moro’s Design for a Ceiling, drawn sometime in the 16th century with pen and brown ink. Del Moro was working in a time and place--Renaissance Italy--where there was great interest in antiquity. Here, Del Moro imagines Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn, riding her chariot across the sky. The goddess and her cherubic companions are framed by intricate ornamentation which speaks to the period’s artistic and cultural values. This was a time when the aristocracy used art to fashion themselves as enlightened rulers, with mythological references serving as metaphors for power, wealth, and divine right. The drawing provides an intimate glimpse into the aesthetic values of the Italian elite. While we can appreciate the technical skill and artistry on display, it's important to remember the social and political functions this type of art served, and what it meant for those excluded from its narratives.