Description Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari copy from Rome 1654 - Rome 1727 Saint Peter guides the ship of the Church Oil on canvas cm 169x123,5 Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari (Rome 1654 – 1727), entitled "Saint Peter Guiding the Ship of the Church", is a theological-political allegory of the Church as a vessel led through the storms of the world, guided by Saint Peter, the first pope and foundation of the Catholic Church. The work is richly articulated, with a main scene dominated by a large boat in the middle of a stormy sea, a symbol of the Church in the world. The boat is full of allegorical and religious figures, each with a precise meaning. Saint Peter, recognizable by the golden key (symbol of his spiritual power), is seated at the bow and firmly holds the ship's rudder, guiding it through the rough waves. His gaze is directed upwards, seeking divine guidance. Faith (allegorically represented): a female figure in white, with her eyes blindfolded (symbol of blind faith) and a large black cross in her right hand. She is the spiritual pillar of the ship. Hope, dressed in green, is depicted with an anchor, another traditional symbol. She turns to the sky, suggesting trust in divine salvation. Charity, in the foreground, is represented as a young mother embracing two children, a symbol of her selfless and protective love. The Trinity appears at the top center on a cloud, with God the Father supporting the lifeless body of Christ, in the typical iconography of the "Throne of Grace" (Thronus Gratiae), while the Holy Spirit is suggested by the divine light. Side scenes, in the background to the left, show other moments from the life of Christ or the nascent Church, while tumultuous waves and menacing rocks form the backdrop to the difficult navigation. The painting can probably be dated to the nineteenth century, and is the only known copy of the two eighteenth-century versions attributable to Chiari on the same theme, which are distinguished from each other by format and size. One of these is preserved in a religious institution in the city of Frascati, while another, commissioned for the father of the Cardinal of York, is currently in storage at the Accademia di San Luca in Rome. Dimensions cm 169x123,5 Provenance Private collection Condition: Relined in the twentieth century. Recent restoration.