Ontwerp voor een stralenmonstrans met het monogram IHS c. 1760 - 1770

This is Luigi Valadier's design for a monstrance, an ornamental vessel used to display the Eucharist, made with pen and brown ink and brush with gray wash, in the 18th century. Consider the era in which Valadier was working, a time where the Catholic Church was a dominant force in many societies, not only spiritually, but also politically and culturally. Religious art served as a powerful tool for expressing devotion, reinforcing doctrine, and inspiring awe in believers. Notice the angel figures, symbols of divinity and intermediaries between God and humanity. Consider how the representation of angels, often depicted with idealized beauty, can reflect societal ideals and gendered notions of purity and grace. The sunburst motif may represent divine light, truth, and enlightenment, central tenets in Christianity. Valadier's design reflects the power of the church in the 1700s, and makes visible the intersectional ideals of religion, society, and the self.