Portret van kardinaal Francesco Maidalchini 1658

Giuseppe Maria Testana created this portrait of Cardinal Francesco Maidalchini as an engraving. It captures Maidalchini, who was not only a cardinal but also a nephew of Pope Innocent X, during a time when the Catholic Church wielded significant political and cultural power. The portrait offers a glimpse into the rigid social hierarchies of the 17th century. Maidalchini’s attire is a stark signifier of status, setting him apart from the common person. What the portrait doesn’t directly reveal, however, is that Maidalchini was the only cardinal in the history of the Catholic church to have been stripped of his title, which he lost after the Pope’s death. We are left to wonder about the emotional weight of such a public downfall, which is made more poignant through the artist’s hand.