Design for a confessional 1745 - 1755

Here we see an anonymous drawing of a confessional, its design marked by strong architectural elements. Above the structure, two figures embrace, perhaps a representation of forgiveness or reconciliation, mirroring the purpose of the confessional. The confessional is not merely a piece of furniture, but a stage for a sacred drama, an architectural setting where the drama of sin, repentance, and absolution unfolds. It carries echoes of classical architecture and its symbolic use of space, but it's now transformed into a tool for interior, psychological exploration. Consider the 'porta santa', the Holy Door, in various cathedrals, opened only during jubilee years as a sign of forgiveness and pilgrimage. The confessional serves as a personal 'holy door', a threshold between guilt and grace. This echoes humanity’s enduring need for ritualized release, a constant in our cultural memory that resurfaces time and again.