An allegory in honor of the arrival of Cardinal Franciotti as Bishop of Lucca 1680 - 1700

Pietro Testa created this allegorical print to honor Cardinal Franciotti's arrival as Bishop of Lucca. Testa, working in Baroque-era Rome, was deeply influenced by classical antiquity, and here, he resurrects its visual language. The print presents a complex scene filled with mythological and allegorical figures, all gathered to celebrate the Cardinal. We see classical figures alongside putti, emblems of virtue, and symbols of Lucca, all orchestrated to convey a sense of divine approval and civic pride. But it's worth considering how power is constructed in such images. Who is included in this vision of authority, and who is left out? How does the artist negotiate the expectations of his patron with his own artistic vision? Testa’s own life was marked by ambition and struggle. He sought recognition in a rigid art world. Knowing this adds another layer to the print, which presents an idealized vision of harmony and order, a world that contrasts with the artist’s lived experience.