Imperial dreams
Self-presentation was used to demonstrate the power of the ruler, the Church and the nobility.
A typical expression of the imperial ideal is seen not only in the self-representation of the ruler – the emperor or the Pope – but also of the nobility. Beside residences comprising several different buildings, economic activities, self-portraiture and also cultural events were an inseparable part of self-presentation, as too were art collections and libraries. The continuity of wisdom from antiquity was an important part of the construction of power both by the nobility and by the Church. The monasteries, often donated by the emperor or the nobility, played an important role in the dissemination of imperial ideals and in the representation of the monarchy.

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Bust of the Cardinal Scipione Borghese

1632
Borghese Gallery
Rome, Latium, Italy
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Marble
When in 1605 Paul V became Pope, he immediately made his nephew, Scipione, a cardinal, promoting him to a position comparable to secretary of state. This enormous power allowed the cardinal-nephew to create within a decade, in a somewhat unorthodox manner, a splendid home and a marvellous art collection. He oversaw the cultural policy of the papal court, and with a sensitive instinct for artistic quality, Scipione hastened the birth of the Baroque.