Design for Pulpit with Papal Tiara 18th century

This is a drawing of a pulpit with papal tiara, made with pen and brown ink, with gray wash, over graphite. We don’t know who the artist was, but given the subject matter, it’s reasonable to assume it was a man. The sketch gives us insight into the ways in which the Catholic Church sought to communicate its power. This design goes far beyond the functional requirements of a place from which to deliver sermons. Instead, the structure is adorned with symbols of the papacy, like the papal tiara, which speaks to the historical context of religious authority and its visual representation. Atop the proposed pulpit design sits a female figure, possibly a saint, holding a cross. The deliberate placement of a female figure is worthy of note, raising questions about the role of women within the church. This juxtaposition invites us to consider the complexities of gender, power, and religious symbolism. It offers a glimpse into the visual rhetoric of faith and the ways in which identities are negotiated within its symbolic structures.