The institution of the papacy stands for authority, tradition, and dogmatism. Portraits of popes are often regarded as particularly outstanding works in the oeuvre of their respective authors. Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s papal busts, for example, are considered masterpieces of the Baroque period. For centuries, portraits of popes have been commissioned by the Holy See or created as independent works by a wide range of artists. Schütte thus draws on one of the most traditional subjects in the history of Western art. And, as one might expect, the motif is reinterpreted in Schütte's expressive style. The material and expression are unique. Instead of bronze or marble, he has chosen glazed ceramic. “Ceramics is a democratic material. It is cheap, it is commonplace, but it can also be monumental. With the popes, I wanted to show that even the most powerful figures are made of clay—and thus fragile.” (Thomas Schütte, Riehen/Basel 2013, p. 96).
Schütte’s portrait of the Pope is no longer a likeness of a real person, but an exploration of the concept and function of this institution. It depicts a figure that can be interpreted as bearing the burden of office as well as a caricature of that very office. The aesthetic is fundamentally disrupted by the glaze that runs in layers of color. Thomas Schütte creates the image of God’s representative on earth, oscillating between reverence and provocation. This reveals the artist’s multifaceted, critical approach to the figures he addresses in his oeuvre.
Regardless of whether it is “Mann im Matsch” (1982–2014), “Große Geister” (1995–2004), “Frauen” (1998–2006), “Fratelli” (2012–2018), or “Wichte” (2006)—to name just a few of his series. The “Wichte” (2006, bronze) is formally quite similar, yet the choice of ceramic for the “Pope” highlights the uniqueness of this singular piece. The “Pope” embodies this intense and multifaceted interplay. [EH]