Maria auf dem Throne, dabei der Heilige Paulus und der Heilige Matthäus mit dem Engel 

Curator: This red chalk drawing, ink and charcoal wash over red chalk drawing depicts Maria auf dem Throne, dabei der Heilige Paulus und der Heilige Matthäus mit dem Engel. The artist is Giovanni Battista Gaulli. Editor: Hmm, it feels like a sketch for something bigger. Almost weightless. There’s a raw energy, an immediacy to it, despite the rather grand subject matter. Sort of angelic yet earthy all at once! Curator: The Baroque style, known for its dynamism, finds expression here even in this preparatory study. Consider how the Virgin Mary, elevated on a throne, literally towers over the figures of Saint Paul and Saint Matthew below, reinforcing traditional religious hierarchies of power. Editor: Absolutely, but it's not just power. There is some humility—like they're bathed in the warm terracotta glow of a Roman sunset. The upward gaze of Matthew with the angel seems vulnerable. He is leaning on a huge book as though seeking wisdom from some celestial search engine! Curator: Precisely. The deliberate use of light and shadow would have been very intentional here, as was characteristic of baroque art. And look how the figures’ dynamic poses, including Mary's elevated perch, create a strong sense of movement drawing our eye upwards towards heavenly idealization. I suggest viewers consider that placement in thinking about women as symbols in Baroque ideology. Editor: And the swirls of clouds around Mary – a dreamlike halo suggesting her in-between-ness; a figure that inhabits mortal earth as well as heaven. I imagine if this piece spoke aloud to me I could smell the ancient stone. The work embodies a quiet beauty while carrying immense stories with it. Curator: The layered symbolism of light, cloud, and form creates an atmosphere steeped in spiritual reflection, indicative of how Gaulli merged religious subject matter with painterly flourish within the historical context. This artistic vision underscores the religious propaganda efforts undertaken via dramatic displays. Editor: Looking closer... this is much more profound than just some "sketch.” I feel this really is a window onto the soul of an age—revealing artistic brilliance, the complexities and beauty that define moments like this that resonate even now.