An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
Portrait of Cardinal Pietro Maria Borgheselate 1620s–early 1630s
Artist: Pietro da Cortona (Pietro Berrettini)
Italian (Tuscany), 1596–1669
Portrait of Cardinal Pietro Maria Borghese
53 x 39 in. (134.62 x 99.06 cm) (canvas)
63 1/4 x 49 1/2 x 3 in. (160.66 x 125.73 x 7.62 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
Italy
17th century
Anonymous gift of funds
In the dim light of an art gallery, your gaze catches a glimpse of an inquisitive cardinal perched upon the canvas, his intelligent eyes shimmering with a curiosity that invites you in. This is Pietro Maria Borghese, capturing our attention not just with his presence but with the stories his visage tells. His round figure suggests a life of comfort, while a carefully crafted goatee and moustache lend him an air of fashionable charm. Above all, we can't overlook his large ear, as if it’s ever ready to listen for the secrets of the universe.
Pietro was born in a world where lineage mattered - a grandnephew of Pope Paul V, he carried the weight of that connection like a majestic cloak. At just twenty-five, he found himself thrust into the heart of Rome, elevated to cardinal status by Pope Urban VIII, a member of the influential Barberini family. The city, alive with ambition and art, became his new home.
What truly sets this scene apart is the silver inkwell, an extravagant piece not merely in its design but also steeped in history. It bears his family’s coat of arms: an eagle soaring gracefully above a dragon, a symbol of power and vision, grounded in mythology. As light plays across this ornate inkwell, one can almost hear the whispers of strategy and ambition that must have surrounded its creation, echoing the dreams of the young cardinal as he navigated his twin worlds of faith and influence.
Feelings swirl like colors on the palette, as we reflect on Pietro da Cortona—a painter beloved by the Barberini, known for his grand frescoes and oil masterpieces that adorned the walls of Rome. He was the chosen artist for magnificence. This rare portrait of Borghese stands as one of the few he produced throughout his prolific career, a testament to the respect and trust he garnered.
In this single frame, we find the intertwining of life and art, lineage and ambition. The gaze of Cardinal Borghese, with all its depth, invites us to ponder not just who he was, but who we are in relation to the legacies we inherit and the trails we blaze in a world constantly alight with stories waiting to be told.
About the artist
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