Why the Pope Got (Precious) Stoned

A nearly-lost Medici art trend captures a celebrity likeness

Portrait of Pope Clement VIII, 1600–1601, designed by Jacopo Ligozzi, produced in the Galleria de’Lavori in pietre dure, executed by Tadda (Romolo di Francesco Ferrucci). Marble, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, limestone, and calcite (some covering painted paper or fabric cartouches) on and surrounded by a silicate black stone, 38 3/16 × 26 3/4 in. Getty Museum, 92.SE.67

By Meg Butler

How do you describe a work of art?

With art terms, of course! We’ve heard your questions about works of art at Getty, and we’re here to answer your Frequently Asked Art Questions (FAAQs).

Let’s take a look at Portrait of Pope Clement VIII, an ideal work of art to describe with the art term, commesso.

Watch the video, or read on below!

If you’ve been to the Getty Villa, studied ancient art, or visited the well-preserved ruin of an antique culture, you’ve likely seen a mosaic: a picture or pattern produced by arranging small, colored pieces of hard material, such as stone, tile, or glass.

But did you know that there are different types of mosaics? The Portrait of Pope Clement VIII may look like a painting with an unusual amount of luster. But, upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that it is not made with paint at all, but tiny pieces of precious stone.

This art technique is called commesso, or Florentine mosaic. What sets it apart from traditional mosaic is that it uses precious stones. Luminous gemstones—in this case, marble, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, limestone, and calcite surrounded by silicate black stone—are the only materials used in these sumptuous works of art.

The technique was first developed in ancient Greece and Rome but became a retro fad in the 17th century thanks to powerful art influencers (and Netflix stars) the Medicis. Having your portrait made by this antique method was the height of fashion, kind of like making an AI selfie today.

But despite its ancient origins and brief revival, very few commesso portraits have survived to make it into museums and art collections today. The Portrait of Pope Clement VIII, which you can see at the Getty Center or download from Getty’s Open Content Library, is exceedingly rare.

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