Renowned portrait artist Igor Babailov has been commissioned to create an official portrait of Pope Leo XIV, according to a press release from PR Newswire.
Babailov met with the Holy Father at the Vatican Oct. 1 to begin the initial stages of the project, which include preliminary life-drawing studies. These sessions serve as the foundation for the final oil portrait and are consistent with the artist’s long-standing practice of drawing from life before completing major works.
Babailov is an American artist trained in the classical tradition and has previously completed portraits of Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope St. John Paul II. His portrait of Benedict XVI was selected by the late pope to represent his papacy and was displayed alongside works by Michelangelo, Giotto, and Bernini during the Vatican Splendors international museum exhibitions. Vatican curator Monsignor Roberto Zagnoli has recognized Babailov as Maestro, an acknowledgment of distinction within the Vatican’s artistic community.
In the announcement, Babailov said he approaches each portrait with attention to the subject’s individuality, but he noted that “one thing that the Popes have in common is their holiness.” He described portraiture as an exploration of a person’s “inner world,” adding that capturing such qualities requires direct personal encounters.
“Portrait painting is more than a visual likeness,” he said, emphasizing that traditional methods allow insights that no other artistic medium can replicate.
Pope Francis praised the portrait Babailov made of him in 2015, calling it “inspired” and saying it “touches my heart.”
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