The Virgin Bringing the Habit to the Seven Founding Fathers of the Servite Order 1671 - 1749

Curator: This ink on paper drawing, made sometime between 1671 and 1749, is titled “The Virgin Bringing the Habit to the Seven Founding Fathers of the Servite Order,” by Donato Creti. Editor: My immediate impression is one of ethereality; the composition floats due to the lightness of touch and minimal shading. The upper portion especially, with its divine figures, almost dissolves into the background. Curator: It is thought that Creti made this drawing in preparation for a now-lost altarpiece. Knowing that provides a context for the preparatory feeling the work conveys, its apparent lack of complete resolution. Editor: Absolutely. You can see that tentativeness in the varying line weights, especially around the figures’ drapery. But observe how the converging lines in the lower half ground the scene, focusing our eye on the central figure receiving the garment. Curator: Indeed. The Servite Order, which arose in 13th century Florence, devoted itself to the Virgin Mary. Creti visualizes their foundation story through this presentation, legitimizing their establishment. This drawing thus became a part of the narrative that justified their religious and political authority within the social order. Editor: It’s a captivating piece of visual rhetoric. Creti masterfully directs our gaze. The figures have individualized expressions that nonetheless conform to the visual structure, their gazes all directed to the central point of interaction. Curator: Also note how the tree in the background subtly situates them, seemingly in an undefined, mythic place, further imbuing the figures with a sense of history and rooted importance. The visual details all converge to create meaning. Editor: And even though this is a preparatory work, one gets a sense of the intended finished composition and also of the power relations, both mortal and divine, that shape it. It feels monumental, even at this scale. Curator: A testament to the artist's ability to convey a complex narrative within a single sheet, embedding the Order within a larger visual tradition. Editor: Yes, by combining earthly setting with sublime interaction and utilizing compositional techniques, this drawing offers a rich interpretive and aesthetic experience.