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Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830)

Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) 1819

RCIN 404946

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Pope Pius VII was imprisoned by Napoleon in 1809, and after his release in 1814 became a figurehead for the political and cultural regeneration of Europe. By painting him seated on the Papal throne and including a view of the new Vatican Sculpture Gallery in the background, Lawrence's masterpiece celebrates the Pope as an individual and as a symbol of the victory of peace over war.