Coronation of Pius III

Coronation of Pius III Piccolomini Library in Siena Cathedral

The large painting by Pinturicchio above the door leading to the Piccolomini library shows the coronation of Cardinal Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini as Pope Pius III. He died 26 days after his election (and only 10 days after his coronation) of a septic ulcer in his leg — inevitably, some claimed he was poisoned.

The Piccolomini Library (Libreria Piccolomini) inside Siena Cathedral is a colorful Renaissance highlight in the otherwise predominantly Romanesque-Gothic Duomo. It was commission by Cardinal Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini (1439-1503), archbishop of Siena, and later (for less than a month) Pope Pius III to honor his uncle Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini (1405-1464) who was Pope Pius II (1458-1464).

The early 16th-century frescoes by Pinturicchio, with some help from Raphael, show ten scenes from the life of Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini. They are further elaborated by painted architectural details and especially on the ceiling by mythological figures. Biblical symbols were rarely used.