Cardinal Vincent Nichols Portrait Sitting Rory Lewis Photographer London & New York 2022
This month I was delighted to capture a portrait of Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the highest ranking member of the Catholic Church in England & Wales. The sitting took place on location at the Cardinals Palace attached to Westminster Cathedral.
Inspired by Renaissance portraits of Cardinal’s painted by Raphael and Caravaggio. I wanted to create my own Chiaroscuro depiction. The sitting lasting two hours, was a treat. Speaking to His Eminence about Renaissance art and enjoying a tour of the Cardinals Palace.
On 22 February 2014 Cardinal Nichols was created Cardinal Priest, by Pope Francis in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
He was designated the titular Church of St Alphonsus Liguori, a neo-Gothic church that is in the care of the Redemptorists. It is best known for housing the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a gift given to the Redemptorists by Pope Pius IX in 1866.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols Portrait Sitting Rory Lewis Photographer London 2022
Cardinals are senior members of the clergy of the Catholic Church, immediately behind the pope in the order of precedence.
Collectively, they constitute the College of Cardinals, and are appointed for life. Their most solemn responsibility is to elect a new pope in a conclave.
The coat of arms of a cardinal is indicated by a red galero with 15 tassels on each side. The motto and escutcheon are proper to the individual cardinal. His Eminence Cardinal Nicholes Motto reads “fortis est ut mors dilectio” translated love is as strong as death.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols Portrait Sitting Rory Lewis Photographer London 2022