Raphaels portrait of pope julius ii

This portrait of Pope Julius II (1443–1513) is usually dated to the one-and-a-half-year period during which he wore a beard. He grew it as a token of mortification between October and December 1510 while recovering from a serious illness brought on by the loss of Bologna to French troops, and vowed to remain unshaven until the French were chased out of Italy.

He removed his beard only when events took a turn for the better in March 1512.

It is likely that the portrait was painted very shortly after the Pope returned from his military campaign in Emilia-Romagna on 27 June 1511.

His careworn expression may be explained by his continuing precarious state of health. In August 1511 he was struck by a second near-fatal illness, during which he received his Last Rites.

The two golden acorns on the chair allude to his family name, della Rovere (rovere is Italian for oak).

The reflections in their gleaming surface reveal that Julius was seated opposit