The artwork titled “Nomination by Pope Urban VIII Barberini, Taddeo” was created by the prominent Neoclassical painter Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres between 1806 and 1820. This religious painting measures 132 by 163 centimeters and currently resides in the Musée Ingres located in Montauban, France. In the realm of Neoclassicism, this artwork stands as a representative of the movement’s stylistic attributes and historic themes.
The artwork portrays a significant religious event in a setting reminscent of a grand architectural space, likely a chapel or hall within the Vatican. At the focal core of the composition, elevated on a dais, an assembly of ecclesiastical figures can be discerned, presided over by Pope Urban VIII, identifiable as the figure situated centrally and adorned with papal regalia. Surrounding these figures, an attentive congregation is depicted, with the foreground playing host to a procession of individuals moving towards the dais. The painting is rendered with a strong sense of depth and perspective, the figures in the front being more pronounced than those receding into the background, which is typical of the Neoclassical style. The use of chiaroscuro—a technique that employs the bold contrast of light and shadow to suggest volume—adds to the painting’s dramatic effect, while the color palette is restrained, embodying the Neoclassical predilection for harmony and restraint. Overall, the artwork captures an impression of solemnity and historical gravity.