Friday, January 4, 2013

Drawing of the Day: The Caged Pope and the King of Naples, 1848

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"The Caged Pope and the King of Naples"
Antonio Masutti, 1848
The British Museum


Drawn by North Italian artist Antonio Masutti in 1848, this sketch depicts Ferdinand II King of Naples with the “caged” Pope in Gaeta. A revolutionary figure stands behind them. 1848 The graphite drawing is one of 106 satirical sketches related to the Roman journal "Il Don Pirlone".

Accompanying materials state that the cage contains Pope Pius IX as a parrot while the King of Naples trains the parrot, using a barrel organ so that the pontiff will speak as the King does.

The King is dressed as Pulcinella, presumably to indicate his mischievous intentions.



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