Cardinal Lorenzo Pucci

This portrait, possibly depicting Cardinal Lorenzo Pucci, dates to around 1529. If the identification is correct, the sitter was a powerful figure in the Roman Curia who served as Grand Penitentiary under Pope Leo X. Parmigianino's portraits of ecclesiastical figures demonstrate his ability to convey both spiritual authority and individual character within the conventions of clerical portraiture. Characteristic of Parmigianino's approach, the work displays extreme elegance, elongated forms, serpentine grace, refined palette.

The portrait's austere composition focuses attention on the sitter's face, rendered with Parmigianino's subtle tonal modulations. The clerical robes are painted with restrained brushwork, contrasting with the more detailed treatment of the physiognomy.