Allegory of the Elevation of Cardinal Deacon Oddone Colonna to the Papal Chair as Pope Martin V 1700

Benedetto Luti created this drawing, “Allegory of the Elevation of Cardinal Deacon Oddone Colonna to the Papal Chair as Pope Martin V,” using pen and brown ink with brown wash over graphite. Look closely and you'll see the material qualities lend themselves to the ethereal nature of the subject. Luti’s work here doesn't have the weight of an oil painting, but rather the free and spontaneous effect of a sketch. The drawing is all about the process of creating an image, not about the image itself. Luti's method, using these specific materials, speaks to a kind of artistry that existed outside the traditional boundaries of painting, rooted instead in the more personal and immediate act of drawing. The concept of "elevation" in the title is echoed in Luti’s material and the method of creation; it is a light, uplifting thing. It shows how materials and making are crucial in understanding the complete meaning of an artwork.