Tomba Del Beato Gabriele Ferretti 1898

Giuseppe Barberis made this print of the Tomb of the Blessed Gabriele Ferretti sometime between 1840 and 1917. It depicts the tomb of a religious figure, likely commissioned by the church or a wealthy patron. Prints like this one played a crucial role in disseminating cultural and religious imagery in Italy. Consider how the visual codes used here, such as the recumbent figure, the Latin inscription, and the decorative carvings, all contribute to the tomb's message of piety and honor. The tomb is clearly referencing classical antiquity, which places it in a long tradition of cultural and artistic forms of expression. To truly understand this image, we would need to delve into the archives of religious institutions. Further investigation would enable us to understand the social and political dynamics that shaped Barberis’s artistic choices and the tomb it represents. After all, art always exists in a specific time, place, and institutional context.