The Memory Palace Of Matteo Ricci

The third picture reproduced in Cheng Dayue’s book is a retelling of the story of Lot. The image is one of a series of four images of Lot’s life made by Crispin de Pas the Elder. Ricci chose the second image from the de Pas cycle, which shows the angel stretching out his hand to blind the men of Sodom who break into Lot’s house. The men of Sodom try to abuse the men—who are actually angels—while Lot pleads with them to stop. The image is titled “Depraved sensuality and vileness bring on themselves the heavenly fire” (203). Because none of the de Pas images fully capture the complexity of the story, Ricci’s summary provides more context. Demonstrating the importance of this story to Ricci’s teachings, he specifically uses the word Sodom, though he left out the Sea of Galilee and Emmaus when describing the first two pictures. The image reduces the story of Lot to the battle between the angels and the men, excluding the story’s other complex themes for clarity.

The story of Lot leads into a discussion about vice, beginning with the death of Pope Paul IV in 1559, which resulted in celebrations and riots in the street.