Artwork
Portrait of Cardinal Antonio Ciocchi del Monte (1461-1533)
Portrait of Cardinal Antonio Ciocchi del Monte (1461-1533) is an oil painting by the High Renaissance artist Sebastiano del Piombo. It dates from 1513 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland.
About this work
Overview
Sebastiano del Piombo’s 1513 oil portrait presents the cardinal Antonio Ciocchi del Monte seated before a modest interior. The composition balances a muted stone wall with a distant landscape visible through a window, creating a calm, reflective ambience. The work is part of the National Gallery of Ireland’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
Antonio Ciocchi del Monte (1461–1533), a high‑ranking churchman, is shown in his official robes: a black cassock beneath a vivid red cloak, topped by a black hat. He holds a small book, suggesting scholarly or ecclesiastical duties, while a modestly rendered dog rests at his side, a traditional symbol of loyalty.
Technique & Style
The painting merges the luminous colouristic approach Sebastiano learned in Venice with the more sculptural, monumental treatment favored in Roman art. Soft, layered oil glazes give the fabrics a rich depth, while the figure’s volume is defined through clear, almost architectural modelling of light and shadow.
History & Provenance
Created shortly after Sebastiano settled in Rome in 1511, the portrait reflects his early Roman period. It entered the National Gallery of Ireland’s holdings in the 20th century, though earlier ownership details remain limited.
Context
The work exemplifies High Renaissance portraiture, where individual status and personal piety are conveyed through restrained yet elegant settings. The inclusion of a window opening onto a landscape aligns with contemporary practices of situating figures within a broader, harmonious world.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Sebastiano del Piombo (Italian:; c. 1485 – 21 June 1547) was an Italian painter of the High Renaissance and early Mannerist periods, famous as the only major artist of the period to combine the colouring of the Venetian…
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