Approval of the Rules of the Franciscan Order by Pope Innocent III in 1209 n.d.

Livio Agresti rendered this ink and wash drawing, “Approval of the Rules of the Franciscan Order by Pope Innocent III in 1209,” sometime in the 16th century. Note the central motif: a book of rules presented to the Pope. This gesture of offering and acceptance is an ancient symbol of legitimacy and order. Echoes of this motif appear across time, in Roman emperors receiving scrolls of law, or kings accepting oaths of fealty. Yet, here, the book is not just law, but divine guidance—Francis's rules promise salvation. Observe how, over time, the symbol of the book evolves. Once a sign of earthly power, it becomes imbued with spiritual authority. Consider the psychological weight of this transformation: the human desire for order, now intertwined with the promise of divine grace. These symbols persist, a testament to our collective need for structure and meaning, constantly resurfacing in new forms.