Two Cardinal Portraits by Scipione Pulzone in the Harvard Art Museums and their Related Versions
Since the sixteenth century, Scipione Pulzone’s portraiture has been admired for its psychological intensity, exquisite attention to detail, and illusionistic settings. Throughout his career, Scipione painted at least six cardinals. These paintings exist in multiple versions, yet the issue of how Scipione went about creating them has remained little examined. This study focuses on the portraits of Cardinals Giovanni Ricci and Michele Bonelli (both housed in the Harvard Art Museums), and their related versions to contend with Scipione’s artistic practice. It considers the function of these and other multiple cardinal portraits by Scipione with regard to their collection and display. It also draws attention to the central role of portraits of cardinals and Scipione’s lasting contribution to this genre.