Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo

The Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Segundo was created by Parmigianino around 1535-1539, as indicated by the date inscribed in its metadata and supported by stylistic analysis and archival records. It was commissioned by Pier Maria III de' Rossi, Count of San Segundo, reflecting his military status and patronage of the arts. The work entered the Spanish royal collection in 1664 through diplomatic channels involving the Rossi family's territorial dispute with the Farnese of Parma, a process documented in 17th-century inventories of the Royal Alcazar of Madrid, which first listed it as a portrait of the 'count of San Sigundo.' Its provenance traces back to the Medici and later the Spanish crown, with documented ownership transitions tied to these political negotiations. The painting remains housed in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is displayed alongside its pendant, Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Sons, though the latter's attribution remains less certain. The painting Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo by Parmigianino is held in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. Its inventory number is not specified in the provided sources. The work was recorded in the 1686 inventory of the Royal Alcázar of Madrid as a portrait of the count of San Segundo. It entered the Spanish collection in 1664 following diplomatic support from King Philip IV to the Rossi family. The portrait is dated to around 1535-1539 based on the subject’s age and Vasari’s account of Parmigianino’s stay at Pier Maria’s court. It forms a pendant with Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Sons, though the latter’s attribution remains uncertain.

Parmigianino's portrait is a significant example of Italian Mannerism, showcasing the artist's characteristic elongated forms, particularly visible in the included statuette of Mars. Art historians like Giorgio Vasari documented that Parmigianino took refuge at Pier Maria's court during tensions in Parma, a note that has been crucial for dating the work. Scholarship has focused on the portrait's complex iconography, which synthesizes the count's military career, antiquarian interests, and literary pursuits, while the "Imperio" inscription reflects his service to Emperor Charles V. The painting's historical and artistic value is underscored by the existence of numerous early copies, some of which were historically mistaken for originals. Additionally, while this portrait is firmly attributed to Parmigianino, its pendant depicting Camilla Gonzaga and their children remains of more uncertain attribution among scholars.

The painting and its pendant inspired numerous old copies over the centuries. Two such copies, once housed at San Secondo and mistaken by the scholar Ireneo Affò for the originals, were donated in 1810 by Count Rossi to Moreau de Saint Méry; the version of the count's portrait near the statue of Mars bears the inscription "Imperio," which is absent from Parmigianino's original. The work's identification with Pier Maria III de' Rossi was established in 1896 by Ricci, who matched the 1686 Royal Alcázar inventory entry with a 1630 note by the sitter's descendant Federico I de' Rossi recalling a portrait by Parmigianino also described by Carrari. Its arrival in Spain in 1664, purchased through an intermediary for Philip IV from the marchese di Serra's collection, secured its place in the Spanish royal collections that eventually passed to the Museo del Prado, where it remains a key reference for Parmigianino's portraiture and Mannerist style.