Saint Celestine V Renouncing the Papacy, after Mattia Preti
1761
This sketch offers a glimpse into the serious academic training of Jean-Honoré Fragonard, long before he became the king of flirtatious Rococo art. During a trip to Naples in 1761, he copied a dramatic fresco by Mattia Preti (referred to as 'Calabrese' in the bottom-left inscription) depicting Pope Celestine V. In a move that shocked the church, Celestine is shown renouncing the papacy and handing over his triple crown, an act of resignation so rare it inspired Dante. While Fragonard is famous for playful scenes like 'The Swing,' this drawing shows his deep respect for the dramatic Italian masters.
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