Abstract

The proposal to identify a character depicted in a 1552 portrait by Sofonisba Anguissola as Colombino Rapari, the abbot of the Lateran Canons of San Pietro al Po in Cremona for over forty years and three times the general Rector of the order, invites several intriguing reflections. This identification not only facilitates a revaluation of the young Anguissola’s oeuvre within the context of her intimate connections with the Cremonese canons but also serves as a significant testament to Rapari’s personal adherence to Nicodemism during a period when Cremona was a principal hub of Lombard Lutheranism. This dual perspective enriches our understanding of both Anguissola’s early artistic environment and the complex religious landscape of 16th-century Cremona.