Palazzo Barberini

The Palazzo Museo, part together with Galleria Corsini of the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, in the historic centre of Rome, preserves the greatest masterpieces of art history and the illustrious masters who have occupied an important place in the Italian art system and not only, works from the thirteenth to the eighteenth century, The collection of the Barberini family and the gift to the Kingdom of Italy of Prince Corsini who decided to leave his precious works to the country.

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Palazzo Barberini, emblem of the Baroque style, was built between 1625 and 1633 as an extension of the ancient Sforza palace. The project was realized by the architect Carlo Maderno with the collaboration of Francesco Borromini, who were inspired, especially for the horseshoe plant, at Villa Farnesina. After the death of Maderno, the construction site passed into the hands of Bernini, who continued to avail himself of the help of Borromini, author above all of the constructive and decorative details of the building; famous its spiral staircase in the west wing that dialogues with the square staircase of honor of Bernini in the opposite east wing. The main hall of the main floor, however, was decorated by Pietro Cortona, He painted the magnificent fresco with the Triumph of Divine Providence, characterized by the bottom-up perspective.

The art collection that flowed into the palace belonged to Pope Urban VIII, also known as Maffei Vincenzo Barberini. The art collection of Pope Urban VIII was transferred from heir to heir, partly disintegrating.

Following the reformist political split, the building became the seat of the Socialist Party of Italian Workers, a historic event commemorated by the commemorative plaque on the main facade of the building, to be finally purchased by the Italian State in 1949 with the intention of making it the National Museum of Ancient Art, expansion of the headquarters of Galleria Corsini and with the aim of saving from dismemberment the Roman Fide Commissarias galleries.

The actual opening of the museum had to wait about twenty years because of the occupation of the building by the Armed Forces, which is why even today some areas of the building are in a state of degradation. Today, in fact, an extensive restoration project is underway to make Palazzo Barberini a true national gallery, with the works exhibited in chronological order and with the possibility of integrating them with new acquisitions, and with spaces dedicated to the rich program of temporary exhibitions. The restoration project includes the restoration and the rearrangement of the beautiful Italian garden of the building, populated by exotic animals and a romantic area of tall trees; also characterized by a greenhouse, now disused, Also part of the restoration project.

Today, the National Gallery of Ancient Art, comprising Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Corsini, boasts a rich collection with great masterpieces of art history. In its rooms, among the many works, you can admire, for example, the Fornarina of Raphael, Judith cutting the head to Holofernes, the Narcissus and Saint Francis of Caravaggio, the views of Canaletto, the portrait of Beatrice Cenci by Guido Reni, the Annunciation by Filippo Lippi, the self-portrait of Artemisia Gentileschi, the bust and portrait of Pope Urban VIII by Bernini, Ecce Homo del Guercino, Venus and Adonis by Titian, the Madonna and Child by Annibale Carracci and that of Andrea del Sarto, portraits of the Colonna del Bronzino family; and also works by Tintoretto, El Greco, Brueghel il Vecchio, Pietro da Cortona, Rubens, Holbein, Beato Angelico, Perugino.

One of the most extraordinary innovations of Italian architecture, emblem of the Baroque and cradle of one of the most prestigious art collections in Italy, so today is known worldwide Palazzo Barberini.