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St Catherine Imploring Pope Gregory XI to Return from Avignon to Rome, early-mid 18th century. Creator: Marco Benefial
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St Catherine Imploring Pope Gregory XI to Return from Avignon to Rome, early-mid 18th century. Creator: Marco Benefial
St Catherine Imploring Pope Gregory XI to Return from Avignon to Rome, early-mid 18th century. Catherine is persuading the Pope to return to Rome to end the Avignon Papacy (the period when Avignon was the capital of the papal state); the Eternal City appears as a vision on the horizon. Gregory XI is portrayed with a hand on his chest, looking down, in the act of making a solemn resolution before the cardinals in the background. A crowd of people is trying to enter the palace, and an allegorical depiction (possibly to be identified as Wisdom overcoming Ignorance) closes the image to the left
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Media ID 36370937
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Allegorical Amorini Angelic Angels Benincasa Caterina Di Jacopo Di Benincasa Catherine Cardinal Cardinals Caterina Di Jacopo Di Benincasa Catherine Benincasa Catherine Of Siena Catherine Of Siena Saint Cherubim Cherubs Dove Holy Ghost Holy Spirit Ignorance Imploring Papacy Pointing Pope Ray Of Light Rays Of Light Religious Art Saint Catherine Saint Catherine Of Siena Siena Catherine Of St Catherine St Catherine Of Siena Wisdom Wise National Museum Sweden Nationalmuseum Sweden Putti Roman Catholicism Santo Stockholm National Museum
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This 18th-century print by Marco Benefial depicts St. Catherine of Siena imploring Pope Gregory XI to end the Avignon Papacy and return to Rome. The Pope is shown with a hand on his chest, deep in thought, before the cardinals in the background. Catherine, with a determined expression, reaches out to him, her hand gesturing towards the Eternal City, which appears as a vision on the horizon. A crowd of people, eager to welcome the Pope back to Rome, presses against the palace gates. The allegorical scene is rich in symbolism. An angel, perhaps representing the Holy Spirit or Wisdom, hovers above Catherine, sending a dove towards the Pope. Cherubs and amorini, symbols of love and divine grace, flank the scene. The contrast between the light-filled vision of Rome and the darker, more chaotic scene outside the palace gates highlights the significance of the Pope's decision. Marco Benefial masterfully captures the Baroque era's artistic style, with its grandeur, drama, and allegorical symbolism. The print reflects the cultural heritage of Italy during the 18th century, a time of great change and transformation in European history. The Avignon Papacy, which saw the papacy based in Avignon, France, from 1305 to 1377, was a significant moment in the history of the Catholic Church. Catherine of Siena, a prominent figure of the period, played a crucial role in persuading Gregory XI to return to Rome, marking the end of this historical anomaly.
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