Innocent X is an oil on canvas painting by Diego Velazquez, composed around 1650. This masterpiece of the Spanish Baroque art measures 1.41 by 1.19 meters and is located in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj in Rome- a privately owned museum. The work depicts Pope Innocent X in a realistic manner, with a distressed expression on his face as he gazes directly at the viewer. As one of his most celebrated pieces, this painting has been highly praised for its sense of psychological intensity and complex composition.
Innocent X is considered to be Velázquez’s most important religious painting, accompanied by his other great works such as Christ And The Christian Soul, which was painted much later between 1659-1661 and also resides in Rome. A visual exploration into several theme such as faith, contemplation and mortality make these masterpieces unique works of art that remain recognizable and powerful to this day.
