Johannes Bessarion (c. 1395-1472) was titular patriarch of Constantinople, as well as a Cardinal in the Roman Church, and at the end of his life, papal emissary to the French court. In 1437 he accompanied John Paleologus to Italy in an attempt to unify the Greek and Latin churches and to obtain help in the fight against the Turks.

He lived in Italy for the majority of his life, patronizing the arts and literature and was enormously popular in both Venice and Florence. The use of his likeness, depicting a Father of the Church, paid homage to his position in his adopted country.