Terracotta bust "Pope Innocent X"

Height: 48 cm.

The terracotta bust shows the pope - like all of his portraits - bearded, with a cap, cloak and accentuated collar, as we are familiar with from other depictions. The execution appears bozzetto-like, but the face is finely reworked, which is typical of 18th century works. The recessed base is also worked, hollowed out on the reverse. Some typical small stress firing cracks.
The Pope, Giovanni Battista Pamphilj, (1574-1655) held the office of head of the church from 1644 to 1655 and was the successor to Pope Urban VIII. His tomb, which Giovanni Battista Maini created in marble in 1729, is located in the Roman church of Sant'Agnese, which Innocent had erected in Piazza Navona in place of its medieval predecessor. The pope is shown there with a tiara. Other portraits and marble busts (for example in Galleria Doria Pamphilij) were created by Alessandro Algardi (1598-1654) and the famous Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). In painting, he was portrayed by Diego Velasquez. During his term of office, he reformed the style of government of the Holy See, most notably abolishing the much-criticized "nepotism" of his predecessor. The Catholic Church suffered a severe defeat during his reign as a result of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which consolidated Protestantism and against which Innocent protested in vain. (1400773) (11)



Terracotta bust of "Pope Innocent X"

Height: 48 cm.

As known from other portraits, the terracotta bust shows the Pope bearded, with a cap, cloak, and accentuated collar. The execution appears to be bozzetto-like, but the face is finely reworked, which is typical of works from the 18th century.