Pope Gregory XVI Visiting the Church of San Benedetto at Subiaco
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
49 1/4 x 55 3/8 in. (125.1 x 140.7 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Whitney Collection, Gift of Wheelock Whitney III, and Purchase, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. McVeigh, by exchange, 2003
Accession Number
2003.42.42
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1843, French artist Jean-François Montess captured a pivotal moment in this expansive oil on canvas, *Pope Gregory XVI Visiting the Church San Benedetto at Subiac*. Measuring over four feet square, the painting draws viewers into the opulent interior of the historic monastery church in Subiaco,—a site revered as the cradle of Western monasticism, founded by. Benedict in the th century. Pope Gregory, who reigned from 1831 1846, is depicted amid a gathering of clergy, men, and women, emphasizing the pageantry and reverence of his papal visit during a time of political upheaval in Europe. Mon...