Ceiling design 

This ceiling design was created by Giovanni Battista Naldini, an Italian painter active in Florence during the latter part of the 16th century. Naldini's sketch gives us insight into the aesthetic values of the late Renaissance, a period marked by humanism and the revival of classical forms. The coffered design suggests a desire for order, but the inclusion of sculpted human forms hints at the importance of the individual. These figures, likely allegorical representations, reflect the cultural and intellectual elite's fascination with myth and their own place in the world. Yet, this sketch also reminds us that high culture has almost always relied on social inequality. Palatial ceilings like the one pictured here were made possible by the exploitation of labor and resources extracted from marginalized populations. Gazing at this design, it's important to remember the human cost of its creation, the labor of many that was distilled into the pleasure of a few.