A Young Man with the 'Aeneid' (Alberto III Pio?)
- Artist: Bernardino Loschi
- Date: 1512
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the "A Young Man with the 'Aeneid'" painted by Bernardino Loschi. The subject of the painting, Alberto Pio, was a renowned classical scholar and theologian who served as ambassador to the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. He's depicted here in his mid-twenties, much younger than he actually was at the time.
The book on his lap contains an excerpt from Virgil's Aeneid, specifically Book VI, where Anchises explains the transmigration of souls to his son Aeneas. This passage held significant interest for Christian theologians with a classical education, as it showed how pagan thinkers believed in the immortality of the soul.
The background landscape is based on a woodcut by Hans Suss von Kulmbach and depicts the twin peaks of Parnassus, a sacred mountain in Greek mythology. The temples shown are dedicated to Dionysius and Phoebus Apollo. This may be related to the text from the Aeneid, although it's not entirely clear.
The coat on Alberto Pio is an ambassadorial gown, likely of German style, which would have been suitable for a diplomat serving at the Holy Roman Emperor's court. The painting provides insight into the life and interests of Alberto Pio, as well as the cultural exchange between Italy and Germany during this period.
See it in person
A Young Man with the 'Aeneid' (Alberto III Pio?) hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
