Visual Artist – Roberto Ferri ✔Certified
Portrait of Pope Leo XIV (2026) Skill Mastery 🟨+ Impact🟪: 90%
Roberto Ferri’s Portrait of Pope Leo XIV is an oil painting commissioned as the official portrait of Pope Leo XIV. Personally delivered by the artist to the Vatican in February 2026, the portrait now hangs in the Sala delle Congregazioni (Hall of Congregations) on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace. The handover took place in the historic Sala Ducale (Ducal Hall), enriched by the presence of a masterpiece by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Ferri, a painter from Taranto born in 1978, described the moment as among the highest points of his career. The painting represents an important international recognition for the Apulian artist, already known for his figurative style of strong symbolic intensity, capable of combining classical tradition with contemporary sensitivity. The work unites art, spirituality, and international prestige, bringing the name of Taranto and Puglia to the heart of Vatican City. Deputy Dario Iaia publicly congratulated Ferri, calling him an example of artistic excellence and noting his journey from student at the Lisippo artistic high school in Taranto to elevated artistic levels.
Here’s how this rating breaks down using the Consistent Multi-Criteria Rubric method:
Technical Skill and Execution (25% of total score): 10/10 = 2.50 points Absolute mastery of Baroque painting techniques including underpainting, glazing, and chiaroscuro creating three-dimensional sacred presence.
Composition and Design (25% of total score): 9/10 = 2.25 points Exceptional traditional papal portrait composition following Vatican conventions, effectively presenting the Pope with dignity and spiritual authority.
Originality and Creativity (20% of total score): 7/10 = 1.40 points Skillful application of Baroque techniques to contemporary papal portraiture, working within established Vatican portrait traditions.
Color Use and Harmony (15% of total score): 9/10 = 1.35 points Sophisticated use of color through multiple glaze layers creating luminous flesh tones and atmospheric depth characteristic of Old Master technique.
Emotional Impact and Expression (15% of total score): 10/10 = 1.50 points Maximum emotional and spiritual resonance capturing the Pope’s sacred authority and humanity, earning permanent placement in the Apostolic Palace.
Total: 90%
