Allegorical Figure of Peace 1625 - 1713

Carlo Maratti made this pen and brown ink drawing, Allegorical Figure of Peace, in seventeenth-century Italy. Note the angel at the top carrying a banner that says “Pax,” or peace, in Latin. She is accompanied by a woman, presumably the allegorical figure of peace, who gestures to the arms and armor below. In Baroque Italy, the visual language of allegory was frequently used to express complex political ideas. Maratti was among the artists favored by the papal court in Rome. His refined classical style served the propagandistic needs of powerful institutions and individuals. What are we to make of this image today? The historian must consider the complex relationship between artists like Maratti and their patrons. Close examination of letters, contracts, and other documents can reveal the social conditions in which art is made and the role of the artist in shaping public opinion.