Portrait of Prince Lorenzo de' Medici

This painting by Peter Paul Rubens belonged to Henryk Lubomirski’s private collection incorporated into the collection of the Princes Lubomirski Museum in 1869. The portrayed man is Lorenzo de' Medici (Lorenzo the Magnificent) – a well-educated man, a great politician, diplomat and humanist. The bust, viewed in profile, is enclosed in a circle with a fragmentary ornament surrounding the composition.
Peter Paul Rubens – the author of the presented drawing – was an artist of the subsequent epoch. He painted the prince’s portrait many years after his death, so he did not work directly with the model. He had to draw knowledge about the prince’s appearance from other works of art. Considering the way the figure is portrayed – in profile – it can be assumed that Rubens was inspired by the art of medal making. Comparing the hairstyle, clothing and facial features, it can be assumed that the portrait was modelled on a medal minted around 1490 by Niccolò Fiorentino.
Most probably Rubens’ work was created as a model for engravers. It could have been intended for history books, lists of rulers, family histories etc. Engravings modelled on this drawing have survived. They include an engraving by Lucas Vorsterman I from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.