Portrait of Clement XIII (1758-1769)
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-94-148
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This evocative print, *Portrait of Clement XIII (1758-1769)*, captures the likeness of the Italian pope who served from 1758 until his death in 176. Created around 1769 by Antonio Pazzi, an Italian artist active from 1706 after 1768, it reflects the tradition of papal portraiture during the late Baroque to Rococo transition. As a print—though its specific medium awaits further research—this work exemplifies how reproductive techniques made elite imagery accessible beyond elite circles, disseminating the pope's dignified visage to devotees across Europe. Clement XIII's papacy unfolded amid Enl...