Visitation

Barocci’s altarpiece, Visitation, painted in 1583-1586 for a side chapel in the Chiesa Nuova, is very different than his regular altarpieces, like Perdono. Visitiation appears to be a straight narrative from the Bible. It is not terribly conceptual, like the Misericordia or abstract in the sense of the Immaculate Conception. Again, it appears to be a straight forward narrative.

This altarpiece was commissioned by the Oratorians in Rome. During this time period the Oratorians were collecting masterpieces from modern painters, much like Isabelle d’Este was trying to collect painters for her personal collection. This group, were committed to the study of traditional Christian imagery, especially interested in history of image used in worship. The Oratorians, even as far to contact Cardinal Pierdonato Cesi to talk to the Duke of Urbino, who in turned talked to Barocci. It is believed that Barocci accepted the commission because it would reestablish him in Rome.

  Barocci, Visitation, 1583

Visitation depicts when Elizabeth comes to visit the Virgin Mary and Joseph, as depicted in the Book of Luke. Based on the number of studies that survive, Barocci spent a large amount of time trying to render a painting that took the traditional imagery that the Oratorians wanted and still dealt with the subject in a modern way. In the center of the painting are Mary and Elizabeth standing on some stairs. Interestingly, Barocci depicted Elizabeth standing above the Virgin on the stairs but Elizabeth is leaning down, so the Virgin has a higher hierarchy in the painting than Elizabeth. These two women are depicted many times together, throughout Biblical imagery. This is an usual aspect of the painting because usually, the Virgin is always positioned higher in the painting than anyone else, unless Jesus is in the composition. Based on the studies that survived, Barocci was mainly focused on the different poses of Elizabeth and the Virgin. One even had the Virgin’s back to the viewer – this had never been done before. Overall, Barocci had taken a subject that had been depicted many times and tried to modernize it.