Scepter met het wapen van Paus Clemens XI en twee putti die Hoop en Geloof personifiëren 1714

This is an etching by Maximilian Joseph Limpach, depicting a scepter with the coat of arms of Pope Clemens XI, adorned with putti embodying Hope and Faith. The visual experience is dominated by the intricate, symmetrical composition and delicate lines, characteristic of baroque design. Limpach’s work explores the semiotic interplay between religious and secular power, reflected in the structure itself. The orb and putti at the top, symbols of papal authority and theological virtues, rest upon an elaborately decorated shaft. This combination invites a deeper reading into the era’s complex negotiations between the sacred and temporal domains. Notice how the etching technique—the precise, controlled lines—mirrors the hierarchical structure it portrays. The scepter thus becomes not merely an object, but a symbol of authority, rendered through the artistic and philosophical lens of its time.