Of course there is an art to posing for a portrait, even as a pope.
The Pope extends his right arm in benediction, showing his ring which is full of symbolism.
Would be nice to see the BXVI pose in this manner - three fingers raised in apostolic benediction!
This photo is from Foto Felici and has never before been published; I got it just after the Sede Vacante MMV.
3 comments:
JP, I have a nice drawing of Benedict XVI. Would you like me to send a copy via email? ~AL
It would be nice if Pope Benedict had some more official portraits taken. There really are none except for at the very beginning of the papacy. John Paul II also only had a few done at the very beginning, to my knowledge. However, there are numerous from Paul VI, John XXIII, Pius XII, etc.
He could also have some nice photographs in the ermine mozetta, maybe even the camauro, etc.
A posed portrait is so much nicer and sensible to purchase than the best of the worst spontaneous photos that you can buy through Felici or l'Oservatore Romano
Pope Benedict is such mystery in some ways. On the one hand, his apparent traditionalism prompts him to reintroduce papal grandeurs that haven't been seen in ages. On the other hand, he obliterates the tiara from his heraldic achievement and refuses to pose for formal portraiture vested in the very attire (or seated on the magnificent thrones)he seems so keen to restore. Just two or three very informal-looking 'official' portraits, the sort of which you might expect from an auxiliary bishop rather than a pope.
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