Drawing for Ceiling Decoration Consisting of Three Panels Each Showing a Different Scene with Figures 1634 - 1689

Ciro Ferri sketched this ceiling decoration with pen and brown ink, a common medium for preparatory drawings during his time. We see three distinct panels, each brimming with allegorical figures. Note the recurring motif of figures ascending or being elevated, a powerful symbol of apotheosis and divine ascension. This motif isn't new; it echoes through centuries, from ancient Roman depictions of emperors ascending to the heavens, to Christian art showing the Ascension of Christ. This visual language taps into our collective memory, evoking a sense of transcendence and the eternal. Ferri's figures reach upwards, connecting with a lineage of symbolic ascent. The panel’s organization, although divided in three, creates a sense of progression, a cyclical structure where symbols reappear, transformed yet recognizable. Think of the emotional power tied to this representation – the human desire to overcome earthly limitations, to achieve something beyond ourselves. This desire, embedded in our collective subconscious, drives the continuous recurrence and evolution of these powerful symbols. These symbols are like ghosts that haunt the present, shaping how we perceive and express our innermost feelings.