Portrait of Pope Pius VII
Encyclopedia
The Portrait of Pope Pius VII is an 1805 portrait of Pope Pius VII
by the French painter Jacques Louis David to thank Pius for assisting at the coronation of Napoleon I of France
(he also appears in David's The Coronation of Napoleon
blessing the marriage, when in fact he was merely a spectator, assisting at the ceremony with a resigned expression throughout).
, intendant général to the French emperor, though no written mention of a commission survives. It was painted at the Tuileries around the end of February 1805 from life. David seems to have been won over and impressed by Pius's simplicity and deep humanity, choosing to show him in an introspective pose rather than as the most powerful prelate in Christianity. He was paid 10,000 francs for it and it was exhibited at the galerie du Sénat and then assigned to the musée Napoléon (now known as the Louvre
). He was then hung at the château du Luxembourg in 1824 before returning to the Louvre in 1827.
David produced three copies of the portrait assisted by one of his students (probably Georges Rouget
), two of which were commissioned by Napoleon I for the musée de Fontainebleau and for the musée du château de Versailles. David held onto the third copy himself and took it with him on his exile to Brussels
, but is now lost.
, a white rochet
or tunic (of which only the sleeves can be seen), a red velvet pelerine-type camail
with ermine cuffs and a red stole with gold embroidery. Pius's arms rest on the chair's arms and his right hand holds a paper on which is written in Latin Pio VII Bonarium Artium Patron (Pius VII, Patron of the Fine Arts). The painting is signed top left with LUD. DAVID PARISIIS 1805.
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
by the French painter Jacques Louis David to thank Pius for assisting at the coronation of Napoleon I of France
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
(he also appears in David's The Coronation of Napoleon
The Coronation of Napoleon
The Coronation of Napoleon is a painting completed in 1807 by Jacques-Louis David, the official painter of Napoleon.The painting has imposing dimensions, as it is almost ten metres wide by approximately six metres tall...
blessing the marriage, when in fact he was merely a spectator, assisting at the ceremony with a resigned expression throughout).
History
The painting seems to have been commissioned by FleurieuCharles Pierre Claret de Fleurieu
Charles Pierre Claret, comte de Fleurieu was a French explorer, hydrographer and politician. He was Minister of the Navy under Louis XVI, and a member of the Institut de France, as well as the brother of the botanist Marc Antoine Louis Claret de la Tourette.-Ancien Regime:Fleurieu was born in Lyon...
, intendant général to the French emperor, though no written mention of a commission survives. It was painted at the Tuileries around the end of February 1805 from life. David seems to have been won over and impressed by Pius's simplicity and deep humanity, choosing to show him in an introspective pose rather than as the most powerful prelate in Christianity. He was paid 10,000 francs for it and it was exhibited at the galerie du Sénat and then assigned to the musée Napoléon (now known as the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
). He was then hung at the château du Luxembourg in 1824 before returning to the Louvre in 1827.
David produced three copies of the portrait assisted by one of his students (probably Georges Rouget
Georges Rouget
Georges Rouget was a neoclassical French painter.- Life :After studying in the école des beaux-arts, Rouget entered David's studio in 1797 and rapidly became his favourite student...
), two of which were commissioned by Napoleon I for the musée de Fontainebleau and for the musée du château de Versailles. David held onto the third copy himself and took it with him on his exile to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, but is now lost.
Description
Vertical in format and with a brown background, the painting shows Pius three-quarter-length seated on a red velvet chair embroidered in gold. He has a peaceful expression and wears a white zucchettoZucchetto
The zucchetto , a/k/a pileolus in Latin and calotte/calotta in France, Italy and Hispanic nations, is a small skullcap worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in Anglicanism....
, a white rochet
Rochet
A rochet is a white vestment generally worn by a Roman Catholic or Anglican Bishop in choir dress. It is unknown in the Eastern Churches. The rochet is similar to a surplice, except that the sleeves are narrower...
or tunic (of which only the sleeves can be seen), a red velvet pelerine-type camail
Mozzetta
The mozzetta is a short elbow-length cape that covers the shoulders and is buttoned over the breast. It is worn over the rochet or cotta as part of choir dress by some of the clergy of the Catholic Church, among them the Pope, cardinals, bishops, abbots, canons and religious superiors...
with ermine cuffs and a red stole with gold embroidery. Pius's arms rest on the chair's arms and his right hand holds a paper on which is written in Latin Pio VII Bonarium Artium Patron (Pius VII, Patron of the Fine Arts). The painting is signed top left with LUD. DAVID PARISIIS 1805.