Blessed Maria Vittoria Fornari's Vision of the Trinity c. 1670

Curator: Here we have Domenico Piola’s ink and wash drawing on paper, dating from about 1670, entitled *Blessed Maria Vittoria Fornari's Vision of the Trinity.* Editor: It’s striking, isn't it? The dramatic diagonal composition really pulls you in. And that contrasting tonality, so rich in the foreground fading into almost ghostly figures at the top…there’s a palpable sense of the ethereal here. Curator: Precisely. Piola masterfully uses the wash to suggest both the divine light and the cloud-like setting, typical of Baroque allegory. Note the distinct figures of the Trinity presenting a globe. How does the depiction of power speak to you? Editor: It definitely evokes power, but I can’t help but wonder about the choice to represent the Trinity in that way. With those faces that look so alike... Were there contemporary discourses about spiritual authority at play in shaping the image, particularly regarding gendered or classed access to divine experience? Curator: Certainly, such readings add layers of complexity. The hierarchical composition places Maria Vittoria at the receiving end of divine revelation. The stylistic choices--line quality, for example—accentuate the drama inherent in a vision. The contrast serves to place earthly vision secondary to the power of divine image. Editor: Agreed, and knowing more about Maria Vittoria's own life as a visionary nun probably grants additional insight into the cultural weight Piola’s images bore for his audience. It pushes me to reflect upon the gendered structures within religious institutions and what that has meant for access, interpretation and visuality in art. Curator: These questions of reception are relevant for Baroque religious art. Through Piola’s skilled use of line and wash, we see more than just a historical record but are confronted with fundamental questions about seeing and believing. Editor: Absolutely. The drawing serves as a potent reminder that our aesthetic encounters with historical art can facilitate critical conversations around how these works function and affect us today.