Portrait of Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi de' Rossi - Raphael
Archival giclée
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Description
A High Renaissance portrait by Raphael featuring Pope Leo X with his cousins, Cardinals Luigi de' Rossi and Giulio de' Medici.
This painting depicts Pope Leo X, born Giovanni de' Medici, seated at a table alongside his cousins, Cardinals Luigi de' Rossi and Giulio de' Medici. Raphael executed this work during the height of his career in Rome. The composition focuses on the physical presence of the figures, using a restricted palette dominated by the crimson robes of the church officials.
Leo X sits centrally, his gaze directed slightly away from the viewer. His hands rest upon a table covered by a red cloth, where a bell and an illuminated manuscript are placed. The manuscript, a Bible, is open, suggesting the intellectual pursuits of the papacy. To his left stands Cardinal Luigi de' Rossi, while to his right stands Cardinal Giulio de' Medici, who would later become Pope Clement VII.
Raphael employs a technique that captures the textures of the velvet, fur, and metallic surfaces. The lighting is controlled, emerging from the left to model the faces and the folds of the heavy garments. The background remains dark, which pushes the figures forward and creates a sense of physical weight. The painting is notable for its psychological observation, as each man is rendered with individualised features and expressions.
This work is held in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. It remains a primary example of the formal portraiture developed in the early sixteenth century. The arrangement of the three figures creates a stable, triangular structure that balances the composition. Raphael avoids unnecessary ornamentation, allowing the status and the humanity of the subjects to define the image. The precision in the rendering of the objects on the table, such as the silver bell, demonstrates the technical skill applied to the entire surface of the panel.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Portrait of Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi de' Rossi - Raphael
Artist Biography
Raphael
He was born in Urbino, the son of a painter. His father died when he was eleven, and by his teens he was already working in the studio of Perugino, whose smooth, symmetrical compositions gave Raphael his starting point. He surpassed Perugino quickly. He studied Leonardo's sfumato and Michelangelo's anatomical intensity and absorbed both without losing his own clarity. The Madonnas from his Florentine period (the Madonna of the Goldfinch, the Sistine Madonna) have a serene perfection that has been imitated for five hundred years and never matched.
Pope Julius II summoned him to Rome in 1508, the same year he commissioned Michelangelo for the Sistine ceiling. Raphael painted the Stanze della Segnatura: four rooms in the Vatican whose frescoes include The School of Athens, the single most famous image of classical philosophy. Plato and Aristotle walk through an ideal architecture surrounded by every major thinker of the ancient world. Raphael painted Michelangelo into the scene as Heraclitus, brooding alone on the steps. Michelangelo was furious.
He ran a large workshop that produced portraits, altarpieces, tapestry designs, and architectural plans. He was appointed architect of St Peter's Basilica. He was charming, diplomatic, and universally liked, which made Michelangelo dislike him even more.
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