Hovering Saturn c. 1685

Gregorio de' Ferrari made this drawing titled "Hovering Saturn", currently held at the Städel Museum, during the Baroque period. The sketch depicts the mythological figure of Saturn, with an androgynous figure on his shoulders, and a figure being struck by lightning in the lower left corner. Ferrari, living in a time where the church had an undeniable hold on society, subtly challenged these norms. The artist presents alternative narratives through his sensual figures, full of movement, and rendered with delicate, light strokes. The image is full of drama, and the figures appear caught up in the story. The emotional and personal dimensions of the piece can be seen in the figure of Saturn, whose face is full of compassion. This artwork prompts us to consider how Baroque artists used mythology to explore the tensions between traditional morality and the emerging emphasis on individual expression.