Italian School circa 1600 - Portrait of Pope Pius IV

Italian School circa 1600

Portrait of Pope Pius IV

Oil on canvas (relined). 50 x 40 cm.

Cardinal Gianangelo Medici was elected Pope by the conclave on 25th December 1559 and entered his role as the successor to Paul IV under the name Pius IV. Alongside his theological duties, he also had a passion for architecture. Rome has him to thank for several impressive projects, including the Casino di Pio IV in the Vatican Gardens and Michaelangelo's Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in the former Diocletian baths. Scipione Pulzone also painted a portrait of this Pope, and another similar half-figure portrait of the seated Pope by an artist from the circle of Titian can be viewed in the Camuccini Collection.