• Bertel Thorvaldsen

  1770-1844

Monument to Pius VII

• Work part's title

  Angel

• Work part's title

  Angel

• Work part's title

  The Coat of Arms of Pius VII

• Work part's title

  Divine Power

• Work part's title

  Heavenly Wisdom

• Work part's title

  Pius VII

• Production Date

  No earlier than 1827 - No later than August 1830

• Type of Work / Object

  • Sculpture > Statue
  • Sculpture > Relief
  • Sculpture > Monument > Tomb

• Location

  • Italy > Lazio > Rome > Vatican City > St. Peter's Basilica

• Catalogue Number

  AX392

• Catalogue Level / Collection

  Thorvaldsen's Art > Thorvaldsen's Sculptures (AX)

Explanation

• Pope Pius VII was pope from 1800 to his death in 1823. Thorvaldsen’s monument to Pius VII was unveiled in St Peter’s Church in 1831. The aged pontiff sits on his throne with his tiara on his head. He is holding out his hand in blessing while looking straight towards us. On the other hand, the allegorical female figure on the right representing Divine Power, is looking emotionally up to Heaven, while the woman on the left, Divine Wisdom, is looking down, thoughtfully engrossed in the book, the Bible, which she is holding. Sitting at the centre, the Pope thus becomes the balanced conveyor of a message consisting of equal parts of Christian sentiment and Christian wisdom.

Motif / Theme

• Human > Man > Pius 7.

Additional Catalogue Information