Portret van kardinaal Berlinghiero Gessi c. 1636 - 1672

This is Lorenzo Tinti's portrait of Cardinal Berlinghiero Gessi, etched sometime in the mid-17th century. The most striking symbols are the lions flanking Gessi’s portrait. Ancient emblems of power and courage, lions guard the image, embodying the Cardinal’s authority, but also his vigilance. These lions are visual descendants of ancient heraldry, echoing through time. Consider how similar motifs recurred in medieval crests and Renaissance emblems, always signifying dominion. Yet here, these lions are softened, almost domesticated by the decorative wreath. This taming hints at civilization's influence, a sublimation of raw power into cultured authority. The tension between the wild and the refined, the raw and the cultured, is a potent psychological play that engages our deepest instincts. Even today, the lion evokes a primal response. The symbol's cyclical journey—from ancient power to modern emblem—reveals how cultural memory shapes our perception, lending this portrait layers of enduring significance.