Design for a Monstrance 1610 - 1664

Here we have Stefano della Bella’s “Design for a Monstrance,” made with pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash, over black chalk. Della Bella was working in 17th century Italy, a devoutly Catholic society that was also a patriarchal one. The monstrance, traditionally an ornate vessel used to display the Eucharist, becomes, in Della Bella's design, a stage for the negotiation of gendered power. Two kneeling angels, both seemingly women, support the weight of the vessel. Are they offering it, or are they burdened by it? This piece offers a glimpse into the complex relationship between art, religion, and gender in the 17th century, where even in the realm of the divine, earthly hierarchies persisted. It invites us to consider who is doing the holding up, and at what cost?