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About This Work
The fresco portrays the historical conversion of Constantine, with the Pope—modeled after Clement VII—pouring water over the emperor's head. The scene is set within a grand, circular architectural space supported by dark marble columns and filled with an assembly of clerics and courtiers. Allegorical figures, including Innocence with a lamb, flank the central composition within painted architectural niches.
This work represents the transition from pagan antiquity to the Christian era, a pivotal theme in Renaissance historical and philosophical thought. It illustrates the 'Donation of Constantine' narrative, asserting the spiritual and temporal authority of the Church over the Roman Empire.