Portrait of Pope Innocent X

Portrait of Pope Innocent X, oil portrait created by Spanish artist Diego Velázquez, the leading painter in the court of King Philip IV of Spain, most likely in 1650. It is lauded as being among the finest portraits ever painted.

Velázquez focused on depicting the world around him, instead of creating elaborate allegorical images. His portraits are remarkable for their attention to the models’ often unromanticized appearance. Velázquez painted this portrait of Pope Innocent X when the pope was about 75 years old. The portrayal is remarkable for its almost uncanny presence and immediacy. The color red dominates the composition. The pope is seated, wearing his sumptuous papal robes, including a red mozzetta, in a red armchair, which differs in shade from the walls behind him. While faithfully reproducing his sitter’s ruddy complexion, Velázquez also captures his powerful bearing in his stern expression and piercing gaze.

Velázquez painted Portrait of Pope Innocent X on his second journey to Rome. An unverified story says that the pope was reluctant to allow Velázquez to do his portrait and that the artist produced the Portrait of Juan de Pareja, his enslaved assistant, to demonstrate his skill to the pontiff.