Seated Woman in Profile n.d.

Marco Antonio Franceschini created this drawing, Seated Woman in Profile, using red chalk. Franceschini lived in a time when the Catholic Church was a major art patron, seeking art that upheld its teachings. The drawing depicts a woman seated and looking down, her hands gently clasped at her chest, with her bare feet exposed. Consider the potential emotional weight carried by this image. Is this Mary, the mother of Jesus, and if so what narrative moment is being depicted? What does it mean to see the mother of God with bare feet? Is this a vision or private moment? This intimate portrayal invites a dialogue between the divine and the everyday. Franceschini's Seated Woman in Profile challenges the viewer to consider the intersections of faith, gender, and lived experience. It asks us to reflect on how representations of women, even within religious contexts, can be imbued with vulnerability.