Pius IV thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Pius IV

Bust
ca. 1600 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Italy (made)

Born in 1499 as Giovanni de'Medici, Pius was Pope from 1559 to 1565. The bust is paired with one of Pope Sixtus V, and cannot therefore have been made before his accession in 1585, so that it must be posthumous. Both must have been made after the accession of Sixtus in 1585, and possibly still later. This bust together with A.40-1910 are probably from the same workshop. The head of Christ on the morse is related to a medallion by Leone Leoni.


Object details

Categories
Portraits
Christianity
Religion
Sculpture
Object type
Bust
TitlePius IV (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Bronze
Bronze
Brief description
Bust, bronze, Pope Pius IV, Italy (perhaps Rome), ca. 1600
Physical description
The pope is represented with head bowed, wearing a cope with representations of St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Andrew, and St. Simon. On the morse is a profile bust of Christ.
Dimensions
  • Height: 78cm
  • Excluding socle height: 66cm
  • Width: 47.8cm
Gallery label
Born in 1499 Pius was Pope from 1559 to 1565. The bust is paired with one of Pope Sixtus V, and cannot therefore have been made before his accession in 1585, so that it must be posthumous. The head of Christ on the morse is related to a medallion by Leone Leoni.(Mrch 1999)
Object history
Bequeathed by H.C. Wilkinson, Esq.
Historical context
Born in 1499 Pius was Pope from 1559 to 1565. The bust is paired with one of Pope Sixtus V, and cannot therefore have been made before his accession in 1585, so that it must be posthumous. The head of Christ on the morse is related to a medallion by Leone Leoni.
Production
perhaps Rome
Subjects depicted
Pius IV (Pope)
St Peter (The Martyr)
St. Paul
St. Andrew
Simon (Saint Simon the Zealot)
Christ
Summary
Born in 1499 as Giovanni de'Medici, Pius was Pope from 1559 to 1565. The bust is paired with one of Pope Sixtus V, and cannot therefore have been made before his accession in 1585, so that it must be posthumous. Both must have been made after the accession of Sixtus in 1585, and possibly still later. This bust together with A.40-1910 are probably from the same workshop. The head of Christ on the morse is related to a medallion by Leone Leoni.
Bibliographic references
  • Maclagan, Eric and Longhurst, Margaret H. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. Text. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1932, p. 150
  • Pope-Hennessy, John, assisted by Lightbown, Ronald. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Volume II: Text. Sixteenth to Twentieth Century. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1964, p. 622, cat. no.655. vol.III, fig. 650
  • The Rival of Nature : Renaissance painting in its context, London : National Gallery, 1975 214
  • Baumstark, Reinhold (ed.), Rom in Bayern : Kunst und Spiritualität der ersten Jesuiten,, München : Hirmer, 1997 17
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.40-1910

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O312112/pius-iv-bust-unknown/
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