''Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo'' is a painting by the Italian Mannerist artist Parmigianino, executed around 1535–1539 and housed in the

Museo del Prado The Prado Museum ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It is widely considered to house one of the world's finest collections of European art, dating from the ...

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. The subject was Count of San Secondo, and the painting forms a pair with a group portrait of his Countess and their children, ''

Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Sons ''Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Sons'' is a painting attributed to the Italian Mannerist artist Parmigianino and his workshop, executed around 1535–1537 and housed in the Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain. It forms a pair with another p ...

'', although the latter is not unanimously attributed to Parmigianino.

History

It is mentioned in a 1686 inventory of the collections of the

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, as the ''portrait of count of San Sigundo''. The subject has been identified with

Pier Maria III de' Rossi Pier Maria III de' Rossi (1504 – 15 August 1547) was an Italian general and nobleman, the second marquess and seventh count of San Secondo. Biography Born at San Secondo Parmense, he was a member of the local Rossi noble family, the son o ...

basing on this note, and by another from 1630 by one of his descendants about the existence of a portrait of him by Parmigianino. The painting arrived in Spain in 1664, after King

Philip IV Philip IV may refer to: * Philip IV of Macedon (died 297 BC) * Philip IV of France (1268–1314), Avignon Papacy * Philip IV of Burgundy or Philip I of Castile (1478–1506) * Philip IV, Count of Nassau-Weilburg (1542–1602) * Philip IV of Spain ...

had supported the Rossi family in a dispute with the Farnese of Parma about some territories. It has been dated from around 1535 to 1539, based on the age of Pier Maria (born in 1508) in the portrait, and a statement by Parmigianino's contemporary, the art historian Giorgio Vasari, that the artist took refuge at Pier Maria's court in the period in question.

Description

The count is portrayed standing in front of a precious damask cloth background. He wears a long and wide, fur-lined black jacket, a waistcoat in the same color, a white shirt and white trousers with contemporary "French" cuts and padded

codpiece A codpiece () is a triangular piece that attached to the front of men's hose, covering the fly. It may be held in place by ties or buttons. It was an important fashion item of European clothing during the 15th–16th centuries. In the modern era ...

. His austere posture and the hand at the sword's hilt refer to Pier Maria's military career. He looks to the right, ideally towards his wife's portrait. At the right is a landscape with a city rich of monuments, perhaps

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. The objects are also references to the count's life and personal interests: a statue of

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury (planet), Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Mars (mythology), Roman god of war. Mars is a terr ...

, the Roman war god, an ancient bas-relief (symbol of his collector attitude), and some books, hinting to his love for literature (he was in correspondence of poet

Pietro Aretino Pietro Aretino (, ; 19 or 20 April 1492 – 21 October 1556) was an Italian author, playwright, poet, satirist and blackmailer, who wielded influence on contemporary art and politics. He was one of the most influential writers of his time and a ...

). One of the books has the inscription "Imperio", referring to Pier Maria's commitment with emperor Charles V at the time in which the work was painted.

Sources

External links

Page at the museum's website
{{Museo del Prado Rossi di San Secondo San Secondo 1530s paintings Paintings in the Museo del Prado by Italian artists

History

Description

See also

Sources

External links