The Role of Cardinals’ Portraits in Venice
The most powerful Venetian cardinals in the sixteenth century were arguably those stemming from the Grimani family. This chapter presents a detailed analysis of the MS Morosini Grimani 270 in the Biblioteca del Museo Correr in Venice, focusing on drawings that illustrate the appointment of Grimani cardinals, alongside their portraits. The iconographic derivation of these drawings from existing works of art will be explored through comparison with painted portraits and other visual representations of the Grimani cardinals, some previously unidentified. The possible function of the included cardinal portraits, and the historical scenes relating to them will be investigated, considering the role of images of cardinals within the dynastic strategies and histories of certain families.