DOI issue:
Faculty of archeology, history and letters
DOI article:Mann, Horace K.: The portraits of the popes
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70028#0183
The Portraits of the Popes. 163
the town), a collection of oil paintings which give in chronological order
life-size portrait busts of all the Popes ‘ from St. Peter to the reigning
pontiff, Gregory XVI. (1831-46).’ See Oreste Raggi, Sui Colli
Albani e Tusculani (Rome, 1844), p. 230. He says also that the collection
was much increased in value in consequence of the fire at St. Paul’s
(1823). It is in its general characteristics much the same as that at
Oriolo, and, like it, derives what importance it has from the fact that it
was copied from the series at St. Paul’s before it was burnt to the ground.1 2
At one time there were in Rome three extensive series of papal (5) in Rome
portraits. There was one in old St. Peter’s, another in St. John Lateran,
and the third, the most famous of all, on which our study mainly turns,
in St. Paul’s outside-the-walls.
Of the series in the old Constantinian basilica of St. Peter’s no (a) in old
specimens are known to exist now ; but the antiquaries of the sixteenth St‘ Peter s
and seventeenth centuries, Alfarano, Grimaldi and Ciampini, who
described the ancient church, have left us a number of notes regarding
them. At what date portraits of Popes began to be used to decorate
the walls of Constantine’s basilica below the Vatican hill does not appear
to be known for certain. But it would seem that John VII. (705-8),
a name well known in the history of art in Rome, was certainly
responsible for the painting of a number of papal portraits in Rome?
However this may be, it is certain that the most important series in the'
old basilica was the work of Pope Formosus (891-6),3 who, as bishop of
Porto, was so beloved by the Bulgarians. The series of Formosus was
painted in fresco above the cornice. It was briefly described by Grimaldi
before its destruction by Paul V. in 1607 in the course of the erection of
the present wonderful structure on the site of the old basilica. According
to this same antiquarian, Benedict XII. had had thoughts of restoring .
1 In the MS. of vol. iv. of the work quoted in the last note shown me by its author,
who is continuing his father’s authoritative volumes on the Roman Campagna, Sig. F.
Tomassetti states that, in his opinion, if the collection at Marino is not so well preserved,
it is more valuable, because more beautiful than that at Oriolo.
2 Of him we read in the Liber Pontificalis (i. p. 385, ed. Duchesne) that he made-
‘ imagines ’ in various churches, and left portraits of himself in St. Peter’s and elsewhere..
‘ Quicunque nosse desiderat in eis ejus vultum depictum reperiet.’ Cf. Marangoni, Chron..
Rom. Pont. p. v. Rome, 1751.
3 According to the very uncultured chronicler, Benedict of Soracte : ‘ Renovavit
Formosus Papa aecclesia principis apostolorum pictura tota.’ Ap. Mon. Germ. Hist.
ii. 714 or Watterich, Vit. Pont. Rom. i. 80.
M 2
the town), a collection of oil paintings which give in chronological order
life-size portrait busts of all the Popes ‘ from St. Peter to the reigning
pontiff, Gregory XVI. (1831-46).’ See Oreste Raggi, Sui Colli
Albani e Tusculani (Rome, 1844), p. 230. He says also that the collection
was much increased in value in consequence of the fire at St. Paul’s
(1823). It is in its general characteristics much the same as that at
Oriolo, and, like it, derives what importance it has from the fact that it
was copied from the series at St. Paul’s before it was burnt to the ground.1 2
At one time there were in Rome three extensive series of papal (5) in Rome
portraits. There was one in old St. Peter’s, another in St. John Lateran,
and the third, the most famous of all, on which our study mainly turns,
in St. Paul’s outside-the-walls.
Of the series in the old Constantinian basilica of St. Peter’s no (a) in old
specimens are known to exist now ; but the antiquaries of the sixteenth St‘ Peter s
and seventeenth centuries, Alfarano, Grimaldi and Ciampini, who
described the ancient church, have left us a number of notes regarding
them. At what date portraits of Popes began to be used to decorate
the walls of Constantine’s basilica below the Vatican hill does not appear
to be known for certain. But it would seem that John VII. (705-8),
a name well known in the history of art in Rome, was certainly
responsible for the painting of a number of papal portraits in Rome?
However this may be, it is certain that the most important series in the'
old basilica was the work of Pope Formosus (891-6),3 who, as bishop of
Porto, was so beloved by the Bulgarians. The series of Formosus was
painted in fresco above the cornice. It was briefly described by Grimaldi
before its destruction by Paul V. in 1607 in the course of the erection of
the present wonderful structure on the site of the old basilica. According
to this same antiquarian, Benedict XII. had had thoughts of restoring .
1 In the MS. of vol. iv. of the work quoted in the last note shown me by its author,
who is continuing his father’s authoritative volumes on the Roman Campagna, Sig. F.
Tomassetti states that, in his opinion, if the collection at Marino is not so well preserved,
it is more valuable, because more beautiful than that at Oriolo.
2 Of him we read in the Liber Pontificalis (i. p. 385, ed. Duchesne) that he made-
‘ imagines ’ in various churches, and left portraits of himself in St. Peter’s and elsewhere..
‘ Quicunque nosse desiderat in eis ejus vultum depictum reperiet.’ Cf. Marangoni, Chron..
Rom. Pont. p. v. Rome, 1751.
3 According to the very uncultured chronicler, Benedict of Soracte : ‘ Renovavit
Formosus Papa aecclesia principis apostolorum pictura tota.’ Ap. Mon. Germ. Hist.
ii. 714 or Watterich, Vit. Pont. Rom. i. 80.
M 2