Portrait of Alessandro Farnese, Pope Paul III (1468-1549; elected 1534)

This portrait of Pope Paul III is a late version or copy after Titian's earlier portraits of Alessandro Farnese, dating to around 1559 after the pope's death in 1549. The painting may have been produced as a commemorative portrait or as one of the multiple versions that were circulated among the Farnese family and their allies. It is at Hatchlands Park, a National Trust property. Titian's portraits of Paul III were among the most influential papal portraits of the sixteenth century, widely copied and disseminated across Europe.

The portrait follows the established format of Titian's earlier Paul III portraits, with the pope shown in three-quarter view wearing the crimson papal vestments. The handling varies from the primary versions, with some passages showing the broader, less refined execution characteristic of studio production. The warm Venetian palette and the strong characterization of the aged pontiff's features maintain the psychological intensity of Titian's original conception.

This papal portrait has been conserved over the centuries. Its relationship to the earlier Farnese portraits has been the subject of scholarly investigation including technical analysis. The canvas has been relined. The brilliant reds have been maintained through careful conservation.