Painting by Angelo Bronzino “Portrait of Stefano Colonna”. The size of the picture is 125 x 95 cm, wood, tempera. It is necessary to note a series of brilliant portraits of no less remarkable personalities: politicians, military leaders, high-ranking individuals, written by the master of Mannerism in the 40s and 50s.
Among them, the portrait of Andrea Doria and Stefano Colonna, descendant of an ancient Italian family, played a great role in the medieval history of Rome and especially the famous constant quarrels with the Orsini house. Its ancestor is considered to be the Duke of Stefan, who came from Germany to Italy around 1037, who married the Countess of Emilia, the ruler of Palestrina.
The descendant of the Duke Pietro della Colonna received, according to legend, his name from the column of Trajan, next to which he lived and owned huge landed estates, including the city of Palestrina and inaccessible castles.