ROSSELLI, Domenico
(b. ca. 1439, Pistoia, d. ca. 1497, Fossombrone)

Portrait of Battista Sforza

1472-73
Cesana stone, 45 x 39 cm
Museo Civico, Pesaro

A comparison of the relief with the two existing portraits of Battista Sforza, one by Piero della Francesca, and the other by Francesco Laurana, proves that the relief represents an idealized portrait of Battista Sforza. Formerly it was attributed to Laurana, however, because of the stylistic differences between Laurana's marble bust of Battista Sforza and the present portrait, it is now attributed to Domenico Rosselli, who worked for Battista's father and brother in Pesaro.