 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Saint Peter derived from an ancient medal engraving by Sebastiano di Re 1560 Royal Collection, Windsor |
The majority of scholars and artists in the 16th and 17th centuries absolutely believed in the survival from the ancient world of authentic and reliable likenesses of the Biblical characters who occupied so much space in everyone's consciousness at that time – figures such as the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, and (as seen above) the Apostle Peter, traditionally identified as the founder of the Roman Catholic Church. In the 20th and 21st centuries there were no longer any living people at all who held this belief, but its evidence nevertheless remained in circulation. The Paper Museum of Cassiano dal Pozzo contained numerous series of such famous faces – mainly engravings – both ancient and modern.
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portraits of Laura and Petrarch engraving by Antonio Salamanca before 1562 Royal Collection, Windsor |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of the artist Andrea Mantegna engraving after Leonardo da Vinci ca. 1490-1510 British Museum |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Pope Pius III (1439-1503) woodcut 15th century Royal Collection, Windsor |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of the artist Marcantonio Raimondi engraving by Pietro Stefanoni early 17th century Royal Collection, Windsor |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Vasili III, Prince of Moscow woodcut ca. 1530 British Museum |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Pope Gregory XV Farnese etching by Girolamo Imperiale ca. 1621 Royal Collection, Windsor |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Pope Gregory XIII (1502-1585) engraving by Agostino Carracci late 16th century Royal Collection, Windsor |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor engraving ca. 1628 British Museum |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Don Gio de Austria engraving ca. 1570 Royal Collection, Windsor |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Pope Urban VII (1521-1590) engraving by Cherubino Alberti late 16th century Royal Collection, Windsor |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Pope Julius II (1443-1513) engraving early 16th century Royal Collection, Windsor |
Julius II (above) was the Pope who gave such spectacular commissions to Michelangelo. Paul V (below) supervised the opening of the Roman seicento under Borghese dominance. This was the period that preceded and prepared for the following phase of Roman culture – Cassiano's era – under the Barberini.
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Pope Paul V Borghese engraving by Giacomo Lauro 1611 Royal Collection, Windsor |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Johann Alten Swiss Guard and guide to antiquities of Rome engraving by Francesco Villamena 1623 British Museum |
 |
| Cassiano dal Pozzo Paper Museum Portrait of Johann Alten Swiss Guard and guide to antiquities of Rome preparatory drawing by Francesco Villamena ca. 1623 British Museum |