A Cardinal's Procession

This beautiful copper represents a yet to be identified event, centering on the procession of a cardinal. The lion and eagles on the silver and gold mace in front of the prelate may be a reference to the cardinal’s coat-of-arms. The church behind him, which does not seem to represent an existing church, may also be related to the cardinal in the painting. Most of the figures in this painting appear to be portraits of specific individuals. The attribution of the painting to Ottavio Leoni is a tentative one.

Credit: Gift of Damon Mezzacappa, 2012...