Portret van paus Benedictus XIII 1730 - 1762

This is a print of Pope Benedict XIII, made by Girolamo Rossi, likely in Rome, sometime around 1730, a few years after the Pope’s election. This was a time when the papacy was trying to reassert its authority. Images such as this one played a key role in shaping the Pope’s public image. Note the way Benedict is framed in an oval border, itself decorated with papal symbols. This immediately marks him as a figure of significance. The inscription below the image details key moments in his career, such as the date of his election. Prints like this were not simply neutral likenesses, but tools used to project power. They circulated widely and helped to cement the Pope’s authority in the eyes of both the clergy and the public. By studying such images, alongside documents from the papal archives, we can begin to understand the complex interplay between art, politics, and religion in 18th-century Rome.