Allegorical Figure of Purity with a Unicorn 1688 - 1689

This drawing, created by Italian Baroque artist Marcantonio Franceschini between 1688 and 1689, depicts an allegorical figure of Purity accompanied by a unicorn. The figure, likely a representation of the Virgin Mary, sits on a throne adorned with a large, scallop-shaped shell, a symbol of purity and pilgrimage. The unicorn, a creature often associated with chastity, leans against her. In the lower portion of the composition, a putto holds a vase, and an angel holds a flowering branch, further signifying purity and divine grace. The drawing, currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, showcases Franceschini's mastery of figure drawing and allegorical imagery, typical of the Baroque era.