Martyrdom of Two Female Saints 1625 - 1704

Curator: We’re standing before Cosimo Ulivelli’s drawing, “Martyrdom of Two Female Saints.” Executed sometime between 1625 and 1704, it resides here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What strikes you initially? Editor: Well, the overwhelming impression is… brutality. A raw, visceral energy. The dynamism feels almost… cinematic, doesn't it? A tonal pencil sketch like this almost looks incomplete as if a vital layer of paint or polish never fully covered up the underwork, raw materials are more available. Curator: Yes, there's a definite Baroque drama to the composition, isn’t there? Note the artist's use of line. It has the dynamic composition of Mannerism with a violent, brutal story in narrative art; it suggests both movement and deep emotional distress. And it invites questions; Who were those saints, how are they relevant to laborers? Editor: I'm curious about the choice of toned paper for this print with intaglio details. It is fascinating how the tonal elements really make you wonder why those choices where done. Where the means available during the time period limited by external economical forces, or did Ulivelli choose this particular paper in line with the material conditions of the time for a reason of aesthetics that really shows how high art may grow from low means? Curator: I think there’s more to appreciate here. This choice contributes to the overall chiaroscuro effect that allows a powerful juxtaposition between light and shadow and draws focus to the figures. We can ask ourselves, however, if its success relied on readily sourced yet standardized products by asking ourselves how ink paintings changed their effect from using rice paper for the masses to textured vellum for the higher born. Editor: Precisely. The medium feels crucial to conveying a sense of immediacy, it reflects perhaps also how religion and politics may mingle from common roots for consumption purposes. Could you elaborate about what you consider a clear and compelling demonstration in the interplay between narrative and visual experience, showing how accessible materials were at play to translate the divine onto the surface for mass distribution? Curator: What this historical drawing means today also hinges upon the mannerism shown. It seems the raw tools make a more appealing approach into such a brutal painting given their access. Let us consider how we ourselves may make the leap that ink made affordable can show history to be rewritten for generations to come if not destroyed by war, fire, and time. Editor: To add to this great point and reflection... How a lack of resources might result in a masterstroke if translated into visual components!