Design for a Catafalque or a Tomb Monument 1700 - 1800

This drawing of a grand tomb monument or catafalque was made with pen and ink, and wash on paper by an anonymous artist. The monument looms over the viewer, ornamented with shields, statues, and terraces. In the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe, elaborate temporary structures like this were often built for state funerals. They helped transform the rituals of death into political theater. The architectural style suggests that this design was probably produced in Italy. The design speaks to an era in which powerful families and institutions like the church openly advertised their power through art. Art historians interested in the social meaning of images look at publications describing funeral practices, church records, and family archives to understand how artworks like this participated in the cultural and political life of the time. The meaning of art is always rooted in the social and institutional conditions of its making.