Allegorical Figure of Chastity 1792 - 1816

Filippo Pedrini’s “Allegorical Figure of Chastity” is an ink drawing that invites us to consider the complex relationship between virtue and representation. The drawing shows a woman, an allegorical personification of chastity, seated upon clouds with a putto, or cherubic boy, at her side. In the 18th century, allegories like this were a common way to represent abstract concepts through idealized human forms, often reinforcing social expectations of women. But what does it mean to visualize a concept like chastity? How does the artist use the female form to embody an ideal? Note the detail of the broken snake – a symbol of temptation – beneath her feet. This artistic choice reflects a time when a woman's value was often equated with her sexual purity. What tensions arise when the very act of depiction risks undermining the virtue it seeks to uphold? What are the implications when ideals of female virtue are predominantly defined and enforced by a patriarchal society? Ultimately, the image prompts reflection on the historical and cultural forces that have shaped perceptions of gender and morality.