DAY 225

A PICTURE’S WORTH 1000 200 WORDS

Portrait of Pope Innocent X

DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ, 1650

In 1650, Spanish artist Diego Velázquez painted this portrait of Pope Innocent X while traveling through Italy. The pope, who was 75 at the time of the sitting, was known for his temperamental nature and rough appearance—and Velázquez showed no reservation in depicting those qualities in his portrait. Generally artists were forgiving in their representations of their subjects, but through the hot stare of this pope, we know that Velázquez opted for a more realistic approach.

If the measure of a painting’s success is determined by its influence on other artists, Portrait of Pope Innocent X is a smash hit. In general Velázquez impressed a number of famous painters with his raw and unglamorized approach, but this particular painting received special attention from figurative painter Francis Bacon (1909–1992), who created a few haunting interpretations of this enthroned pope. —DDG