Allegory with two female figures, one representing Faith holding a coat of arms 1663 - 1731

Curator: At first glance, this drawing evokes a sense of serenity. It's all flowing lines and gentle light, almost like a dream captured on paper. Editor: Indeed. What you are sensing may well be attributed to Giovanni Odazzi, an Italian artist who made this artwork, “Allegory with two female figures, one representing Faith holding a coat of arms” between 1663 and 1731. It’s rendered in pencil, which gives it a certain lightness. The artwork resides here at the SMK, the Statens Museum for Kunst. Curator: "Allegory" is definitely the key word here. I’m drawn to the figure of Faith – the one with the radiant symbol on her chest and presenting the coat of arms. To me, it represents an interior strength, the embodiment of belief made visible through these iconic devices. How did you read that moment? Editor: The positioning of the two women interests me—one standing and gazing toward divine light, and the other kneeling with the arms. The relationship implies a hierarchy in which celestial validation, through the winged messenger hovering at the column’s crest, elevates earthly heraldry. We often find noble families deploying art for social capital, connecting lineage with a perceived divine will to reinforce their status and control narratives. Curator: That’s an interesting perspective. I am especially struck by the sun emanating the image with bright light in the upper corner; perhaps suggesting a transition, a movement away from the darkness, where shadows used to be toward something more illuminated and guided? The Faith figure could also stand in the presence of institutionalised, noble systems which give rise to new orders based on light and clarity, yet retaining and recognising familiar structures. Editor: I wonder how deliberate this blending of iconographies was by Odazzi and what kind of cultural impact was trying to convey. He, like many artists, navigated between wealthy patrons and religious institutions—a tightrope walk which necessitated subtlety in the symbolism, as personal liberties remained curtailed by demands for prescribed iconography. It leads me to wonder if this heraldic promotion also accommodated more esoteric or ambiguous concepts related to virtue or fortitude. Curator: Well, it seems the longer we gaze at these visual forms and hidden allusions the more nuanced questions about history and faith take shape around such an image! Editor: Agreed! It's a testament to how a single sketch can embody the socio-political complexity of an era while simultaneously inviting modern-day speculation.