Pope Clement VIII

Pope Clement VIII

Born Ippolito Aldobrandini to a prominent Florentine family, Clement was made Cardinal in 1585 by Pope Sixtus V (1585-1590). He was known to be very intelligent, disciplined, and in tune with the inter workings of the Church. He also was a devout follower of Filippo Neri, the founder of the Oratorians and Clement’s personal confessor for thirty years. Upon his accession to the papacy, Clement set his sights on the Jubilee of 1600. He focused on the religiosity of the year, with processions to the Seven Churches of Rome, a tradition revived by Filippo Neri, and many other ceremonies throughout the year. There was also an emphasis on connecting the Catholic Church to its early history, particularly to Constantine and the Apostles. This was done through the renovations of old churches and the renewed significance placed on relics. While conservative in nature, Pope Clement VIII (1592-1605) commissioned important projects for the jubilee year in order to assert his and the Church’s power.

Robertson, Clare. Rome 1600: The City and the Visual Arts under Clement VIII. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

"Aldobrandini." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press, accessed October 19, 2016, http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T001642pg1.

"Portrait of Pope Clement VIII." The J. Paul Getty Museum. http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/1230/designed-by-jacopo-ligozzi-produced-in-the-galleria-de'lavori-in-pietre-dure-executed-by-romolo-di-franceco-ferrucci-del-tadda-portrait-of-pope-clement-viii-ippolito-aldobrandini-italian-1600-1601/.

1536-1605