The present painting depicts pope julius iii del monte, elected in 1550, three-quarter length, giving a blessing with his right arm and holding a letter in his left hand. He is sitting on a chair decorated with del monte's coat of arms of three small mountains. The pontiff exhibits a folding purse (soffietto) hung from his belt, very similar to that worn by his predecessor paul iii farnese in his portrait by titian, now conserved in the museo di capodimonte, naples, from which the present picture borrows its diagonal compositional scheme. The attribute of the purse, together with the jewels and the fur-lined papal mozzetta, exude the liberality of julius iii, who was a great patron of the arts. The present painting is a typical work within the mid 16th century production of girolamo siciolante, one of the most prominent artists working at the papal court. Object Type: painting. Date: before 1575. Dimensions: with frame: 98.5 × 88 cm (38.7 × 34.6 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: Private collection. Portrait of Pope Julius III (by Girolamo Siciolante da Sermoneta)
Loading...
