Focus on Cardinal of Portugal's Altarpiece and explore the Context.
The Infante James of Portugal was a prince of the House of Aviz, grandson of King John I of Portugal. His father Peter, Duke of Coimbra had been regent for the young King Afonso V of Portugal, who had married Peter's daughter (James's sister) Isabel of Coimbra (d. 1455). But after Alfonso reached his majority in 1448, he was very hostile to Pedro, who soon rebelled. James, then 14, was captured at the Battle of Alfarrobeira where his father Pedro was killed. He was eventually released, after pleas from his aunt, Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy to whose court he went, later embarking on a career in the church.The altarpiece formed part of an elaborate scheme of decoration in the newly built chapel. The Pollaiuolo brothers were also commissioned to paint other elements of the chapel walls, parts of which also used oil painting; on the walls this has not survived very well. The tomb on one wall has a marble effigy over a sarcophagus by Antonio Rossellino.Linda Koch has suggested that the overall architectural design and decoration of the chapel represented an attempt to evoke Early Christianity, and was much influenced by the imperially sponsored churches of Ravenna. In terms of the altarpiece, apart from the unusual general richness of the saints' clothing, and their rather static poses, each stands on a rota or circle of the most valuable and luxurious architectural stones, from the left: serpentine, porphyry, and a "mottled tan marble". These echo the rotae of real porphyry on the Cosmatesque floor of the chapel, and in the tomb on the surface below the sarcophagus, and evoke imperial monuments of the ancient past.The cardinal's relations were keen to have him memorialized in a grand fashion, appropriate for his rank in both church and royalty. His own resources could not fund this, but both the Republic of Florence and his family were ready to step in to fund the funeral and, over the following years, the chapel. Funds came from his mother and sister, but mainly his aunt Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy. We know something of the arrangements from the records of the banker who coordinated them, unearthed by Gino Corti in an archive some decades ago.
Isabel of Coimbra Peter, Duke of Coimbra Antonio Rossellino Republic of Florence House of Aviz Ravenna porphyry Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy Cosmatesque sister Battle of Alfarrobeira mother serpentine Antonio Early Christianity James of Portugal John I of Portugal oil painting Afonso V of Portugal