Die Heilige Dreieinigkeit umgeben von Engeln, die Kelche mit dem Blut Christi füllen 

Curator: This red-chalk drawing is attributed to Pietro Testa. The title translates to "The Holy Trinity Surrounded by Angels Filling Chalices with the Blood of Christ" and it is held here at the Städel Museum. Editor: What a vibrant drawing! It really conveys a sense of dynamic movement, swirling upward into the divine. The figures seem to float, barely tethered to earth. Curator: The composition is rather complex, isn't it? Note how Testa has arranged the figures on different levels. The dove hovers at the top, then God the Father and Christ are enthroned. Below, you have the angels with the chalices, and a flurry of cherubic forms fill the negative spaces. It seems designed to lead your eye on a visual dance through celestial spheres. Editor: Absolutely. The blood being collected by the angels... it evokes potent themes of sacrifice and redemption that run deep in religious art. Chalices have appeared since antiquity, embodying not only the holy wine from mass, but an enduring symbol of promise. Curator: Consider the use of line here. Testa's marks vary in weight and direction, which creates a sense of depth. There is very little crosshatching. Instead, he models forms through the careful placement of parallel lines and hatching. Also, notice how there’s an emphasis on the contrast of light and shadow in relation to creating volume in space and giving depth to figures in the composition. Editor: And speaking of forms, the Christ figure is quite striking in his repose. What emotions do you suppose Testa was trying to convey in the figures surrounding them? I see curiosity in the faces of some cherubs, but also a focused seriousness from the chalice-bearing angels. Curator: The iconography would have been deeply familiar to his contemporary audience, of course, and so viewers may have responded viscerally. I think Testa is very aware of triggering very familiar emotions through symbols with powerful history, as you mention. It is an exploration of a spiritual hierarchy realized through line and space. Editor: Indeed. Examining this artwork has illuminated both its formal complexity and its dense symbolism. Curator: Yes, the combined effect of this drawing, regardless of context, speaks to a powerful understanding of formal art and its long lasting impact.