Portret van kardinaal Federico Sforza 1658

Etienne Picart made this portrait of Cardinal Federico Sforza, likely in Italy, as an engraving. Picart was active in Rome from 1680, and Sforza became a cardinal in 1645. So, the image captures a significant figure within the Roman Catholic Church, whose social power came through religious institutions. The visual codes here are very direct: the Cardinal's robes and hat signal his high status. The coat of arms in the upper corners would immediately identify his lineage to contemporary viewers. The lettering below the portrait acts as a caption, naming him and the date. There is a directness here, and the oval frame flattens pictorial space, and the image is all about the clear communication of social identity. To understand the Cardinal's influence and the role of religious figures like him in the 17th century, we can look at period documents, papal records, and family histories to reveal the social, cultural, and institutional context that shaped both the man and the image we see here.