Cesare Alessandro Scaglia di Verrua, Abbé of Staffarda and Mandanici
Leaning casually against a classical pillar, this elegant diplomat exudes the quiet confidence of a man who has seen the world. Dressed in the somber black robes of an abbé, Cesare Alessandro Scaglia di Verrua cuts a striking figure, his delicate hands and fashionable mustache hinting at the refined tastes of the 17th-century elite. Van Dyck captured him during the artist's highly successful stint in London, where he became the go-to portraitist for the English court. The Latin inscription on the pillar isn't just decoration—it's a memorial, as Scaglia actually commissioned this very portrait to hang in his family chapel after his death!
Location: National Gallery, London
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