Ottoboni Family Relief at The Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lyon

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The Ottoboni family rose to prominence in Rome after the 17th century, largely due to the influence of Alexander VIII's papacy and his cardinal nephew, Pietro Ottoboni, a patron of musicians and painters. However, Cardinal Ottoboni's appointment as France's representative at the Holy See was met with resistance from Venice, whose Senate had not been consulted beforehand. This move sparked outrage among Venetian citizens, who took umbrage with Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani's earlier decision to relocate to Vienna in 1699 and assume the role of viceroy of Naples in 1708. When Cardinal Ottoboni failed to appease the Senate, the Ottoboni family was formally stripped of their status in the Libro d'Oro and their properties were confiscated. The diplomatic rift between France and Venice eventually subsided, but the Ottoboni family's reputation remained tarnished.