Who was Cardinal Bernardino Spada?

Bernardino Spada (1594-1661) was an Italian Cardinal who served as papal nuncio to France and legate to Bologna. He purchased Palazzo Spada in 1632 and amassed the art collection now displayed at Galleria Spada.

Why is this portrait considered rare among Reni's works?

Guido Reni primarily painted religious and mythological subjects, producing very few portraits during his career. This work demonstrates his skill with fabric textures and lighting.

What is the Borromini gallery at Palazzo Spada?

Cardinal Spada commissioned architect Francesco Borromini to create an optical illusion in the palace courtyard. The gallery appears 37 meters long but measures only 8 meters. Visit Galleria Spada to see this Baroque work.

Where Is Portrait of Cardinal Bernardino Spada?

Guido Reni completed this portrait of Cardinal Bernardino Spada between 1630 and 1631 in Bologna, where the Cardinal served as papal legate. The oil on canvas measures 222 by 147 cm and remains at the Galleria Spada in Rome, the palace the Cardinal purchased in 1632.

Reni was the dominant painter of the Bolognese School and rarely produced portraits, making this work a significant exception. The Cardinal sits in his scarlet robes, illuminated against a dark background. Reni's virtuosic brushwork renders every texture: the delicate lace of the surplice, the heavy silk of the mozzetta, the soft sheen of the biretta.

Cardinal Spada was born in 1594 and served the papacy across three decades. He organized healthcare during Bologna's 1630 plague epidemic and became a noted art patron. After purchasing Palazzo Spada, he commissioned Francesco Borromini to create the famous forced perspective gallery in the courtyard. Spada died in 1661, leaving his collection to the public.