Upturned Head of Saint Dominic n.d.

Curator: Here we have "Upturned Head of Saint Dominic" by Lorenzo Sabbatini. It's a drawing rendered in red chalk and white chalk on paper, and its date remains undetermined. Editor: It’s as if the saint is catching sight of divine light streaming from above. It gives me goosebumps, that upward gaze—so intense, yet somehow gentle. It’s mostly sepia tones that offer an overwhelming aura of reverence. Curator: The upturned gaze is indeed key. In Mannerist art, these unconventional perspectives disrupt traditional notions of balance and harmony. What do you make of the fact that Sabbatini chose Saint Dominic as his subject? Editor: I see him less as a saint in this context, but more like Everyman—caught in a moment of ecstatic awe. Is it really so wrong to feel connected and maybe overwhelmed, maybe even liberated, by the overwhelming feelings brought on by some kind of epiphany, by beauty, or by faith itself? Curator: Placing Saint Dominic, a figure associated with order and dogma, in such an expressive and open pose invites us to question the structures that shape our own beliefs. Who benefits from these structures, and who is excluded? We need to challenge any single, authoritative viewpoint. Editor: So true! And isn’t it incredible what you can conjure with minimal materials? Just some chalk and paper…Sabbatini managed to trap a moment of pure human yearning. I also admire the anatomical precision in this drawing. Curator: The anatomical accuracy reinforces the importance of Academic art, especially in the Renaissance when this piece was produced. Also, the artist highlights the role of tradition and technique. He asks, can those of us deemed lesser, create even greater things than our forebears? Editor: I think what grabs me most is that universal feeling of looking upward—whether it’s toward a god, the sky, or some vague aspiration. I am always left searching for answers from the sublime. Curator: By juxtaposing religious imagery with stylistic experimentation, Sabbatini pushes us to reconsider the relationships between faith, power, and artistic expression, questioning existing hierarchical conventions in Renaissance Bologna. Editor: Exactly. To think it's just an old drawing, huh? It has more to say than most contemporary creations. Curator: Yes, it does resonate with a fresh sense of relevance, offering up to modern society lessons in justice and beauty.