The Portrait of Ippolito de' Medici is an oil on canvas portrait of Ippolito de' Medici by Titian, from 1532-1533. It is held now in the Palazzo Pitti, in Florence. He appears dressed in an Hungarian outfit.[1]
| Portrait of Ippolito de' Medici | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Titian |
| Year | 1532-1533 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 139 cm × 107 cm (55 in × 42 in) |
| Location | Palazzo Pitti, Florence |
History and description
editIppolito de' Medici, son of Giuliano de' Medici, Duke of Nemours, and nephew of Pope Clement VII, was appointed a cardinal at the age of 18, but as he matured he realized that he was more inclined to war than to Church affairs. This is evident in the current portrait that Titian painted of him in 1533, possibly in Bologna, as reported by Giorgio Vasari, or in Venice, as a source found in 2000 would testify.
The protagonist appears dressed as an Hungarian horsemen, in memory of his exploits in Vienna, during the Ottoman siege of Vienna, in 1529, and during the liberation of Hungary, when he was in command of four thousand musketeers. From Vasari it is also known that Ippolito had a second and smaller portrait of himself made by Titian, in armor, which didn't survived.[2]
Against a dark background, the extraordinary accords of dark reds, purples and amaranths highlight the perfectly illuminated face, where the expression of Ippolito seems to have something of confident and cruel, suitable for a young leader. With a warlike attitude he holds the baton of command, while his left hand rests on the hilt of his sword.[3]
The portrait was used as a model for various printed reproductions. Since 1716 it has been registered at Pitti, where it passed through various rooms before arriving at the Mars room where it still hangs.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Frieda, Leonie, Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France, New York: Fourth Estate, 2003, p. 28.
- ^ Francesco Valcanover, L'opera completa di Tiziano, Milan, Rizzoli, 1969 (Italian)
- ^ Marion Kaminski, Tiziano, Cologne, Könemann, 2000
- ^ Marco Chiarini, Galleria palatina e Appartamenti Reali, Livorno, Sillabe, 1998 (Italian)