Pope Adrian VI after 1520

This portrait of Pope Adrian VI was made anonymously, using oil paint on a wood support. The artist has captured Adrian in profile, focusing on his elaborate ceremonial garments. Notice the weight and texture of the Pope’s cope, richly decorated with embroidery. The crown, known as a papal tiara, is adorned with jewels. These details point to the extensive labor and resources required to produce such garments. The materials – precious metals, fine textiles, and vibrant dyes – would have been sourced from across the globe, reflecting the reach of papal authority. Although we don't know who made this painting, or when, it is a window into the economic and social systems that underpinned the Church’s power. By emphasizing the materiality of the Pope’s vestments, the portrait invites us to consider the complex relationship between artistic representation, craft production, and the display of wealth. It urges us to look beyond the image itself, and to recognize the many hands that contributed to its creation.