Spain / c. 1476–82
Portrait of Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Portrait of Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere as painting (Spain · c. 1476–82).
James Jackson Jarves (1818–1888)—famed art critic and one of the first Americans to amass a collection of medieval, Renaissance, Mannerist, and Baroque paintings from Italy—owned this painting in the late 19th century.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on wood, transferred to canvas and credits Pedro Berruguete (Castilian, c. 1445/1450-1503).
The museum's collection notes: Spanish artist Pedro Berruguete spent a decade in Italy in the 1470s and 1480s, including a period in Rome during which he painted Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere from life. Here, the pope raises his hand in a gesture of benediction, blessing the viewer while meeting their gaze. Using white highlights to represent the glittering luminosity of the bejeweled garments, Berruguete accentuates Sixtus IV’s sumptuous attire, including the triregnum, or ceremonial triple crown and symbol of the papacy.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtPortrait of Pope Sixtus IV della RovereOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.