Head of Pope Urban VIII (Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini) (recto); An Outstretched Arm (verso) 1669 - 1670

Curator: This drawing from between 1669 and 1670 is attributed to Pietro Locatelli. What strikes you about it initially? It's titled, "Head of Pope Urban VIII (Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini)," but interestingly, the back includes a sketch of "An Outstretched Arm." Editor: You know, there’s something immediately weary about it. Despite being a portrait of someone so powerful, he looks almost...deflated? The loose pencil strokes give it this feeling of transience, like he might just fade away. Curator: It is interesting you mention that feeling of deflation. Representations of power often attempt to show authority; however, here, Urban VIII's image suggests a more complicated relationship with his own status, perhaps the toll of leadership, which has symbolic meaning connected to that era's pontificate controversies. Do you find his facial features contribute to the overall impression? Editor: Definitely. The eyes, shadowed and almost hidden under the brow, give a sense of melancholy. And the beard, while undoubtedly a symbol of status, seems heavy, weighing him down. It almost contradicts the confident and powerful image you might expect. Is it fair to assume that artists during the Italian Renaissance often used realistic elements to highlight the human aspect and emotional depth? Curator: Yes, within Italian-Renaissance and Baroque styles there was a definite inclination towards revealing the psychological dimensions of the subject, rather than simply glorifying them, as you point out. And the technique—pencil on paper—allows for a remarkable immediacy. One can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the surface, capturing the Pope's likeness, warts and all. That arm on the back might suggest other works or ideas Locatelli had planned at the time... Editor: A fleeting thought captured, then onto something else. A sketch within a sketch! Maybe that outstretched arm even hints at ambition or struggle…or perhaps a papal wave? (laughs) Well, that's probably me over-romanticizing the piece! Curator: (chuckles) Well, the beauty lies in that evocative ambivalence, I believe. An intimate look behind the symbolic weight. Editor: Absolutely. I started off feeling a little sorry for the pope; now, I feel connected to him through that fragile yet persistent line. A unique viewing experience!