Ascension of a Bishop Saint 1634 - 1705

Luca Giordano sketched "Ascension of a Bishop Saint" with graphite on paper, navigating the religious fervor and artistic conventions of the Baroque era. Giordano, deeply entrenched in the performative aspects of Catholicism, offers us a glimpse into the visual culture that shaped the identities and spiritual lives of the faithful. Ascending, the Bishop is buoyed by a cloud and a throng of cherubic angels, a scene steeped in traditional iconography. Yet, it subtly hints at the power dynamics inherent in religious institutions. The bishop, elevated both literally and figuratively, embodies the hierarchical structure of the Church, a stark representation of earthly authority blessed by divine mandate. The drawing invites us to reflect on the emotional weight carried by such images, and consider the ways in which they reinforced social and religious norms, and how those continue to shape our understanding of power, faith, and identity.