Die Übergabe der Dekretalen c. 1511

This drawing by Raphael, titled ‘Die Übergabe der Dekretalen’, resides here at the Städel Museum. Raphael made this drawing at a moment when the power of the Catholic Church faced unprecedented scrutiny. The drawing depicts a group of clerics and their interactions with religious texts, which were central to their authority and identity. The clerics, robed, stand in hierarchical order, with the younger boys below and the men towering above. The figures are depicted in a moment of transfer, a powerful symbol of succession and continuity within the Church. What strikes me most is the power and privilege that comes with the access to knowledge, particularly religious knowledge. Who gets to interpret, and how do those interpretations shape the narratives we inherit? In Raphael’s time, these questions were deeply interwoven with social status, gender, and access to education. This drawing offers us a glimpse into the power structures of its time, inviting us to reflect on the ongoing dialogues around authority, interpretation, and knowledge today.