Pope Benedict XIV presenting the Encyclical 'Ex Omnibus' to the Comte de Stainville, later Duc de Choiseul

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting today! It's called "Pope Benedict XIV presenting the Encyclical 'Ex Omnibus' to the Comte de Stainville." That's a long name, huh? But the painting itself is amazing! It was painted a long, long time ago, in 1757, by an artist named Pompeo Batoni. Can anyone guess how old that is? (Pause for answers) Wow, that's a very long time ago! nn

Now, let's look at the painting. See the important-looking man sitting on the fancy chair? That's Pope Benedict XIV. He's wearing a really special outfit, all gold and white! He's giving something to the man kneeling down. That man is the Comte de Stainville. He's dressed very nicely too! What do you think they're doing? (Pause for answers) They're exchanging a very important document! nn

Look closely at the colors! See all the golds and reds? And the pretty blues? The artist, Pompeo Batoni, was really good at using light and shadow to make the painting look three-dimensional. Can you see the shadows under the Pope's chair? It makes him look even more important! And look at the details on their clothes – amazing, right? nn

See all the other things in the painting? There are some special figures on either side of the Pope, and even some angels up above! And look at the background – it looks like a fancy building, maybe even a part of a famous church! The artist wanted to show us where this important meeting took place. What do you think the building might be? (Pause for answers) nn

This painting isn't just a picture of two men; it tells us a story about a very important time in history. It shows us how powerful the Church and the rich people were back then. It's like a window into the past! Isn't that cool? What do you think is the most interesting part of the painting? (Pause for answers) nn

I hope you enjoyed learning about this amazing painting! It's a masterpiece, and it's wonderful that we can see it here today. Remember, art can tell us stories and show us different times and places. Now, let's go see some more amazing art!