Melozzo da Forlì, had once before come to Rome. However, he did not find appropriately enough commissions in the city on the Tiber and went to Urbino to the court of the Montefeltro family, known for its artistic aspirations and patronage of various artists. There, he was able to get to know the meanders of courtly life and see the greatest painters of his time, including the Spaniard Pedro Berruguete or Pier della Francesca. He also had to have been familiar with the important work, which was created at that time at the local court – a true praise hymn to the then ruler of Urbino – Federico da Montefeltro. It could once again be said – nothing special, a duke allows himself to be portrayed with a book in hand, at a lectern, immersed in reading, but only if we had not known that he was one of the most effective condottieri (paid mercenaries) of that time, who acquired his fortune during wars, political plots and extortions. In the painting of Pedro Berruguete, since he was the creator of this work, he was depicted, albeit in armor and with a sword at his side, as was fit for a soldier, but it is obvious that it is not the knight who is glorified here, but a Renaissance ruler, a patron of the arts and collector of books, possessing one of the largest (after the Vatican) libraries of those times. He is accompanied by his youthful successor with a scepter in hand.

  It must be added that relations between Sixtus IV and Montefeltro from Urbino were exemplary. In 1474 the pope married off his nephew to the daughter of the condottiero, with the nephew acquiring the title of duke in the process. A year later, after a ten year stay in Urbino, Melozzo returned to Rome, and the pope bestowed the title of court painter upon him and entrusted him with the creation of his portrait, which would in a proper way show his outstanding role as a patron of art and science, as well as a creator of a new dynasty, surrounded by his most important nepots, the continuators of his work in an earthly as well as spiritual dimension. We shall see how the painter managed this ambitious challenge. The main figure in the fresco is of course the pope, seated upon a throne, who is looking forwards, as if not seeing the kneeling Bartolomeo Platina. He is surrounded by nepots – the nearest the throne is dressed in a purple robe with a tonsure on his head, Giuliano della Rovere. He is shown here as a young cardinal, but even then he held a leading role among the numerous papal relatives. As history would show, he will also become pope, but not until almost thirty years later (Julius II). Right next to him, dressed in a blue robe, another very young, only sixteen-year old cardinal, Raffaele Riaro, is assisting the pope. He will later become famous as a patron of artists and a collector of ancient art. This is a group of clergymen – figures connected with the Church. On the other side, we will notice the papal nepots, who were charged with prolonging the dynasty and carrying on the family name. Far on the left in a violet robe, stands Giovanni della Rovere, while at the front in an azure robe – Girolamo Riario. The first became the husband of the daughter of the aforementioned Federico Montefeltro – Giovanna, and besides that by appointment of the pope, the ruler of the cities of Mondavio and Senigallia in the Marche region, as well as the prefect of Rome. The second one was married off to Catarina Sforza.  He was the one that received land which de facto belonged to the State of the Church, becoming the ruler of Imola and Forlì and was to create his own state under the rule of the Riario and della Rovere families. He held a privileged position at the side of the pope, and this did not change even though in history he is remembered as the one who hatched the plot to assassinate Lawrence de Medici and his brother (the so-called Pazzi conspiracy). He was also known for his love of parties and banquets. However, he was not able to enjoy it very long, as he was murdered in 1488 in revenge for the death of Giuliano de Medici and thrown out of a window by his servant.

  What we do not see on the painting are the strong animosities which exist between the nepots, which were evenly spread out between the della Rovere and Riario branches. Did the artist want to express this, by purposefully showing the individual figures without any mutual relations? Each of the figures is firmly embedded in his own world, not establishing any contact with the others. Perhaps, such a way of depicting the family was to give the portrayed more charisma and dignity.

Let us now move to the main character of the painting – the humanist Bartolomeo Platina, kneeling in front of the pope. Not lifting his gaze towards the Holy Father, he is about to receive a written nomination to the prestigious post of the Prefect of the Vatican Library, but that is not what is most important here. His figure seems to fulfill the function of a rhetoric figure, whose task it is to direct our eyes through his right hand to the dedicative inscription informing of the  deeds of Pope Sixtus: TEMPLA, DOMVM EXPOSITIS: VICOS, FORA, MOENIA, PONTES: VIRGINEAM TRIVII QVOD REPARARIS AQVAM. PRISCA LICET NAVTIS STATVAS DARE COMMODA PORTVS: ET VATICANVM CINGERE SIXTE IVGVM. PLVS TAMEN VRBS DEBET: NAM QVAE SQVALORE LATEBAT: CERNITVR IN CELEBRI BIBLIOTHECA LOCO. Thus, we find out that the pope erected churches, squares, walls, and bridges, renovated the Aqua Vergine aqueduct, built a port. Of course, the city also has him to thank for bringing the dust-covered library out of obscurity.

The nominated prefect, from now on will care not only for the library, the scientists employed within its walls and settle the accounts, but will also occupy himself with the work perhaps most important to Sixtus IV – writing of The Lives of Popes, taking into account the last one as well. Platina, who was earlier imprisoned by Paul II, now rehabilitated and given a significant function in the State of the Church, was proof of openness of the bishop of Rome who employed him, to the humanistic views of the time period. The Vatican Library itself, established by Nicholas V, was enlarged and furnished with new rooms by Sixtus IV, but most importantly it was made available to the public. It attracted humanists and became a meeting place of the then intellectual elites. The rooms of the library were decorated with frescoes, of which unfortunately only one remains. While contemplating it, it is worth taking a closer look at perfectly laid out perspective, which organizes the architectural space shown in the fresco. It is assumed that the room shown on the painting, had never really existed, this is therefore an example of the so-called ideal architecture, reflecting the Renaissance imagination of buildings which would connect the acquisitions of antiquity with the new to the city on the Tiber, Renaissance. Another thing worthy of our attention is the decorations of the pilasters surrounding the fresco. They repeat a pattern of oak branches and acorns, which is a reference to the della Rovere papal coat of arms.

Melozzo da Forlì’s fresco is the first portrait of a pope seated among his nepots – a motif which will from that time for subsequent decades (Raphael, Titian), find its place in Italian art. This is also an official courtly portrait, showing the pope as an earthly ruler, with humanist views, but also sanctioning nepotism as an integral part of the policy of the State of Church. Nobody, who looks at the portrait can have any doubts, that the power of the pope is built through his nepots (cardinals and secular knights), as well as the support of the intellectual elites represented by Platina

The appointment of Platina to the post of Prefect of the Vatican Library took place on 15 June, 1475. We do not know what it looked like, or if it was in fact attended by those portrayed. The fresco itself was painted by Melozzo da Forlì a few years later on the wall found directly across from the enterance of one of the rooms of said library (the so-called Latin Library), which, similarly to other rooms in this building was decorated with frescoes (unpreserved) by Domenico Ghirlandaio. In the end, the fresco was taken off the wall and set in canvas, finding its way into the collections of the Vatican Pinacoteca.

Pope Sixtus IV Appointing Bartolomeo Platina as Prefect of the Vatican Library, Melozzo da Forlì (approx. 1477), fresco, 370 x 315 cm, Musei Vaticani, Pinacoteca Vaticana