Portrait of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese by Raphael

About This Work

The cardinal is depicted in his red mozzetta and biretta, standing before a dark interior that opens onto a luminous landscape. He holds a folded document in his right hand, while his left hand rests at his side against the white linen of his rochet. Notable for its psychological depth, the work contrasts the rigid formality of his ecclesiastical office with a sensitive, observant expression.

As the future Pope Paul III, Alessandro Farnese became one of the most significant patrons of the late Renaissance, notably receiving the dedication of Nicolaus Copernicus's 'De revolutionibus orbium coelestium' (1543). His papacy was marked by a complex relationship with the esoteric, as he famously consulted astrologers like Luca Gaurico to determine the most auspicious timing for his coronation and other state affairs.

Alessandro Farnese61B2(ALESSANDRO FARNESE)11P3112 47C25