De intrede in het klooster van de heilige Filippo Benizz 1575 - 1623

Editor: So, this is a drawing titled "The Entry into the Monastery of Saint Filippo Benizzi," made with ink around 1575-1623 by Bernardo Malpizzi. There's almost a dreamlike quality to the whole thing. It looks like there are two separate scenes happening at once, like memories or visions. What do you see here? Curator: The layering of imagery definitely speaks to the artist's understanding of visual storytelling. Notice how the scene is divided into earthly and spiritual realms. We see the kneeling figure of Saint Filippo in the act of joining a monastery and, above, the Virgin Mary seemingly riding a chariot pulled by lions! Editor: Lions pulling a chariot, and all those baby angels, so cool! Why the lions, though? That detail feels very specific. Curator: Indeed. Consider the lion's association with strength, royalty, and even resurrection in certain Christian iconography. In some traditions, lions can symbolize Saint Mark or even Christ. The lions drawing the Virgin Mary emphasize her power, as she intercedes in the earthly realm. What message do you think this artistic choice about Filippo's entrance to monastic life conveys? Editor: Maybe it means that his choice has the strength or blessing of heaven, that this action has weight. I'd have missed all that, thanks! Curator: Precisely! The drawing encapsulates the transformational power of such a commitment. Looking closely, the artist also layered an image of a fortified building behind Saint Filippo, underscoring temporal power's irrelevance. Each symbol offers deeper meaning. It all really emphasizes his transformation and the embrace of a spiritual life over worldly matters. Editor: This makes me think differently about drawings, because I mostly just consider painting as vehicles for these layered symbolic meanings. Curator: Drawings can act as vessels for the artist's understanding of symbols! Think of it as cultural memory made visible. We carry forward stories through this symbolism. Editor: It's a great reminder that nothing is really "just" an image. Everything is connected to bigger stories!