Ippolito de' Medici (Florence 1511-1535) was made a cardinal in 1529, but was not fond of his cardinals robes. In 1532 he joined a military expedition against the Turks in Hungary in the retinue of Emperor Charles Vs troops. On his return, while in Bologna in 1533, he commissioned Titian to paint his portrait in Hungarian costume. The Badge on his hat bears a pledge of love to Giulia Gonzaga.Titian first trained as an artist in Venice in the workshop of Giorgione (d. 1510) to whom some of his earlier works were attributed. After 1511 he began to be recognized in Venice and Padua as the greatest painter of his time and he enjoyed success throughout his long life. He worked for all the most important art patrons of the day, including the Este in Ferrara, the Della Rovere in Urbino, the Gonzaga in Mantua, as well as for the Pope, the Emperor Charles V and his son, Philip II.The radiant beauty and the poetic and dramatic intensity of his painting, whether portraits or religious or secular works, strongly influenced 16th and 17th century art throughout Europe.

This painting was restored thanks to the initiative of the ROMUALDO DEL BIANCO FOUNDATION and the co-operation with the project "BE PART OF HISTORY" by VIVA HOTELS in Florence. The Project was created in order to give a contribution to Florence Artistic Heritage with restoration of pieces of art of different Florentine Museums.