Persoon knielend voor een bisschop 1686 - 1779

This drawing of a person kneeling before a bishop was made by Marco Ricci in the early 18th century. Ricci was from Venice, where the visual codes of religious and political institutions were highly developed and closely intertwined. The power dynamic in the drawing is obvious. The central figure of the Bishop is given prominence by his height, his elaborate mitre, and the throng of figures around him. Meanwhile, the kneeling figure emphasizes a social hierarchy, a literal embodiment of deference to religious authority. The architecture in the background with arches and columns suggests the might of the church. To understand this drawing fully, we might research the history of the Catholic Church in Venice at this time. What was the relationship between the church and the Venetian state? What role did ceremony play in maintaining social order? Remember, art doesn't exist in a vacuum. It is a product of its time, reflecting and sometimes challenging the prevailing social order.