Earthquake in an Artist's Studio c. 1660

Pietro da Cortona created this pen and brown ink and wash drawing, "Earthquake in an Artist's Studio," to capture a moment of chaos and disruption. Born in Tuscany, Cortona's Italy was one that was deeply shaped by seismic events. Here, we see the artist's studio not as a sanctuary of creativity but as a site of vulnerability. The figures are caught in a moment of crisis, their bodies twisted and contorted. The earthquake serves as a metaphor for the unpredictable forces that can upend our lives and challenge our sense of control, whether it's the literal earth moving beneath us or the social and political upheavals that shake the foundations of society. It also serves as an emotional earthquake that forces us to confront our own mortality and fragility. The earthquake reveals the instability of structures, both physical and social, while inviting us to reflect on the shared human experience of facing adversity.