Mars 

Guercino painted this image of Mars in Italy, sometime in the first half of the 17th century. This was a period shaped by almost continuous war. But what does it mean to paint Mars, the Roman God of War, at this time? The traditions of Renaissance art had established classical figures as models of virtue, or allegories of power. This image suggests both. In a society deeply divided by religious conflict, Mars represents military authority. But he also stands for something more complex. The heroic, masculine figure of Mars implies a specific code of honor. As historians, we can look into the archives to discover the role that paintings like this one played in the courts of Europe. They served to fashion the image of powerful men as patrons of culture, and as figures whose authority was sanctioned by ancient tradition. Understanding the art of the past means exploring its relationship to political and social institutions.