Allegory with Figures of Hope, Time, and Death

Art Historical Context

Sebastiano Ricci, a leading Venetian painter of the late Baroque period (1659–1734), this intricate drawing titled *Allegory with Figures of Hope,, and Death*. Created during an era when allegorical themes flourished in European art, the work personifies profound human concepts: Hope, often symbolized by an anchor or radiant light; Time, with his scythe or hourglass; and Death, grim skeletal figure. These motifs drew from classical antiquity and Christian iconography, reminding viewers of life's fleeting nature and the virtues needed to face mortality—a popular subject in 17th- and 18th-century Italy. Rendered in pen and brown ink with brush and gray wash over red and black chalk, the 10 13/16 x 7 11/16-inch sheet showcases Ricci's masterful draftsmanship. This mixed-media technique allowed for rich tonal contrasts and fluid modeling, typical of preparatory studies for his vibrant oil paintings. Ricci's dynamic compositions, influenced by masters like Paolo Veronese, infuse the figures with theatrical energy, bridging Baroque drama and emerging Rococo elegance. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1967 and housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece highlights Ricci's skill in capturing emotional depth on a intimate scale. It offers visitors a window into the creative process of a Venetian artist whose works adorned palaces and churches across Europe.

About the Artist

Sebastiano Ricci · 1659–1734

Sebastiano Ricci (1659–1734) was born in Belluno, in the Venetian Republic, and received his early training in Venice, where he was apprenticed at age twelve to the Milanese painter Federico Cervelli. Some accounts identify Sebastiano Mazzoni as his first master. A youthful scandal involving an unintended pregnancy and a charge of attempted poisoning led to imprisonment in 1678, from which he was ...