The artwork “Pope Pius VII with the Cardinal Caprara” is a quintessential example of Neoclassical portraiture, painted by the renowned artist Jacques-Louis David around 1805. This oil on panel painting measures 138.1 x 96 cm and is currently housed in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, located in Philadelphia, PA, USA. As the genre suggests, the artwork serves as a stately portrait of two prominent figures.
The composition features two central figures, one seated and the other standing, cloaked in the ornate vestments befitting their ecclesiastical status, with the seated figure gesturing with his right hand. The artwork is characterized by a high level of realism and detail, particularly in the rendering of the subjects’ faces and clothing. The color palette is rich yet restrained, typical of the Neoclassical style, which often emphasized clarity and order.
Neoclassicism as an art movement sought to emulate the virtues of classical antiquity, and this is reflected in the dignified representation of the two figures, their composed expressions, and the overall solemn atmosphere of the painting. The portrait not only conveys the social and religious hierarchies of its time but also demonstrates the artist’s skill in capturing the nuances of character and station through his refined brushwork and attention to detail.