Curiosities of the Archives
The Caricature of Blessed Angelo Paoli
In the Iconographic Collection of the General Archives of the Carmelite Order is a copy of a caricature drawing depicting Carmelite friar Angelo Paoli (1642-1720), who was immortalized in front of the main door of the Roman convent of San Martino ai Monti, where he used to distribute bread and alms to the poor of Rome. Paoli, who was beatified in 2010, was known for his involvement in social work, particularly in assisting the indigent and the sick.
The caricature, the original of which is preserved in the Vatican Library, within the Codex Ottoboniano Latino 3113, was executed in ink by Pietro Leone Ghezzi (1674-1755), a famous Roman painter and caricaturist, who portrayed numerous picturesque characters of Baroque Rome, transmitting to us a visual memory of them.
Blessed Angelo Paoli (1642-1720) was so well respected for his charity work, he was called "Father of the Poor." He operated with the belief that whoever loves God must find Him among the poor. He established a convalescent center in Rome where the poor could recover after leaving the hospital. Devoted to the Cross, he placed the cross inside the Colosseum of Rome. He was beatified in 2010.
(This article first appeared in ABIGOC – 5/2024).
