Portret van Paus Pius IX 1876 - 1881

This is a portrait of Pope Pius IX by Christiaan Lodewijk van Kesteren, though the exact date it was made is unknown. Van Kesteren created this print using etching and engraving techniques. Consider the era in which Pius IX served, from 1846 to 1878, a period of immense social and political upheaval. As the last pope to rule as a sovereign, he was caught between a changing world, and the traditional power of the Church. This tension is palpable in his gaze, which seems both benevolent and wary. Van Kesteren captures this complexity, presenting us with a man who embodies both spiritual authority and earthly concern. The traditional framing of the portrait, contained within an oval, feels almost like a symbolic enclosure. What does it mean to hold onto tradition in a world that is rapidly evolving? What does it mean to lead when the very ground beneath you is shifting? This portrait invites us to reflect on these questions and perhaps even find parallels in our own time.