An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Pope Benedict XIV Presenting the Encyclical "Ex Omnibus" to the Comte de Stainville, Later Duc de Choiseul1757
Artist: Pompeo Girolamo Batoni
Italian (Rome), 1708–1787
1756 - Benedict XIV Presenting Ex Omnibus to Choiseul.
50 3/4 x 70 5/8 in. (128.91 x 179.39 cm) (canvas)
60 5/8 x 80 x 4 5/8 in. (153.99 x 203.2 x 11.75 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
Italy
18th century
The William Hood Dunwoody Fund
In the quiet whispers of history, there are moments that bridge the mundane with the divine. Imagine the year 1754, a time when the intricate webs of power were woven with both diplomacy and faith. It is France, a kingdom in the hands of King Louis XV, whose heart beats with ambition. The air is thick with tension as he sends his trusted envoy, the comte de Stainville—soon to be known as the duc de Choiseul—on a significant journey to Rome. His mission? To untangle the troubled affairs between the French courts, the Roman Catholic Church, and a controversial sect known as the Jansenists. These were not mere disputes; they were the echoes of authority ringing through the corridors of power.
As Stainville arrived in Rome, the city itself seemed to hold its breath. The weight of tradition and belief hung heavily in the air. He sought the ear of Pope Benedict XIV, a man of the Church whose decisions could ripple through time. After a careful deliberation, the pope would respond with an encyclical, a papal letter, sent forth into the world in 1756.
It was this significant moment that caught the eye of Giovanni Battista Batoni, a master painter known for weaving narratives into his works. To capture the intensity and reverence of the event, he crafted a tapestry of figures, both real and ethereal, spread across his canvas. An enthroned Pope Benedict XIV, portrayed with a striking resemblance—an homage to the very man who had supported Batoni’s genius—sits at the center.
Flanking him are mighty personifications of the Church and Divine Wisdom, their forms embodying the tight grip of faith over authority. Below them, in a playful and innocent dance, two cherubs cradle the sacred symbols of the papacy: a finely detailed church and the triple tiara, the coronation emblem of the pope. Their youthful faces reflect the innocence that often gets overshadowed in the realm of power.
From above, Saints Peter and Paul watch with vigilant eyes, cast upon the earthly proceedings from their lofty perch. They are draped in clouds, ethereal guardians of faith, reminding all who gaze upon the canvas of the rich history they embody. Meanwhile, the dove of the Holy Ghost, a symbol of divine inspiration, floats gracefully above, infusing the scene with a serene light.
To the side, St. Peter’s Basilica stands valiantly, its grandeur echoing the grandeur of the issues at hand. The church’s intricate architecture serves as a backdrop to the dialogue of power, faith, and the interplay of mortal resolve and divine guidance.
Through Batoni’s brush, we do not merely witness history; we feel it. Each stroke of paint tells a story of struggles, prayers, and the enduring quest for balance between the earthly and the sacred. It invites us to pause and reflect on how deeply intertwined our stories are—how every dispute, every piece of authority, resonates in the fineries of art and faith.
About the artist
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