by Tom Gurney
Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 2, 2026
Email: tomgurney1@gmail.com / Phone: +44 7429 011000
Introduction
This painting is dated at around 1516-1520 and is now a part of the permanent collection of the San Diego Museum of Art. Sebastiano del Piombo was a highly regarded portrait painter but this particular work is not one of his most prominent pieces.
Indeed, there are several different paintings from his ouevre that have the same name and are only differentiated by their subject, year of creation and current location. Sebastiano would tend to find well connected donors once he had established himself within Rome. Michelangelo would prove highly beneficial in the early years, passing on some of his most important contacts to his younger pupil for whom he held a high regard for the majority of their relationship.
Some of the highlights from the San Diego Museum of Art collection include works by famous names such as as Matisse, Dalí, Magritte, Monet, O’Keeffe, Rivera and Miró. The institution holds national significance within the arts more generally and continues to broaden its collection from time to time.
Discussion
Sebastiano del Piombo's works often depend on careful looking at title, attribution, setting and material evidence.
Reader Insights
Which visible details help you read the subject, sitter or devotional setting?
How does the work connect to Sebastiano's movement between Venice, Rome, portraiture and religious painting?
What title, attribution or source question should stay visible when discussing this page?
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