Palazzo Barberini: from the papal residence to the National Gallery of Ancient Art. Museums and galleries in Rome that everyone should visit From the Papal Residence to the National Gallery

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On any tourist trip, especially to Italy, there comes a time when you need to touch high art, and not only . Our selection of ten will help you here best museums and galleries of Rome.

(Musei Capitolini) are located in three Capitoline palaces - the Senators, the Conservatives and the Palazzo Nuovo. The museum collection was started by Pope Sixtus IV, who gave antique bronze statues to the Roman people in 1417. Nowadays, the Palazzo Conservatori houses a rich collection of antique exhibits, the most valuable of which is the original. The new palace boasts unique mosaics from the villa of Emperor Hadrian.

The National Gallery of Ancient Art (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica) is located in the Barberini and Corsini palaces. The first contains such masterpieces as Raphael’s “Fornarina” and “Judith and Holofernes”, as well as many paintings by Titian and El Greco. In the second - the same Caravaggio, Rubens and Bruegel.

On the territory of Villa Giulia there is a museum of Etruscan art with interesting exhibits material culture vanished civilization. The exhibition dedicated to the funeral cult of the Etruscans is especially large. The building itself was previously the summer residence of the popes.

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Gallery Doria Pamphilj is a private gallery with a rich collection of art. In the best possible way Italian painting presented XVII century- paintings , . Also impressive is the collection of marble reliefs by Duquesnoy.

In the private collection of the Spada Gallery (Palazzo e Galleria Spada), relating to XVII century, includes works by Titian, Guido Reni, Rubens and other prominent Renaissance masters. An interesting attraction of the palace is the Perspective, which is a gradually narrowing corridor. The sixty-centimeter figure of the horseman, placed at the narrow end of the corridor, looks as if it reaches the average human height!

Rome has no shortage of examples of ancient art. But the time has come to somehow introduce the modern! For this purpose, an exhibition hall was built next to the famous one, where it was opened in 1915 (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderno). Italian futurists and realists (Renato Guttuso), sculpture were exhibited here XIX century represented by the works of Canova and Jimenez. In the middle of the 20th century, the gallery was replenished with works by foreign artists: Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Picasso.

Galleria Comunale d'Arte Moderno) is located in the building brewery, the official opening took place in 2002. The works of the most famous masters of the Italian art scene are exhibited here. The museum has a library, a bookstore and a multi-level terrace with open cafe on the roof.

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Palazzo Barberini(Italian: Palazzo Barberini) is a historical palace, the family residence of the influential Barberini family. Today the palace houses art gallery, which exhibits paintings by such famous masters of painting as El Greco, Raphael, Caravaggio, Titian, Holbein, Reni and many others. Administratively, the gallery in Palazzo Barberini is part of the National Gallery of Ancient Art.

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History of the Barberini family

In the 11th century, the Barberini family, very rich and influential, settled in Florence. One of the representatives of this family, Raphael Barberini, visited Moscow on a private visit in 1564 with a letter of recommendation to Ivan the Terrible from Queen Elizabeth of England, with an offer to assist in establishing commercial ties. At the request of Cardinal Amelio and Count Nogarola, Rafael Barberini gave detailed description everything that he saw in Moscow on the pages of his manuscript “Report on Muscovy by Raphael Barberini to the Count of Nogarola, Antwerp, October 16, 1565,” which is still kept in the Barberini library.

Pope Urban VIII

The most significant contribution to the exaltation of the family was made by Maffeo Barberini, Pope under the name Urban VIII. His nephews Francesco and Antonio became cardinals, and another, Taddeo, received the title of Prince of Palestrina, an appointment as a general in the papal army and the post of prefect of Rome. However, in 1645, after the death of Urban VIII, difficult times came for the family. The new Pope Innocent X, having irrefutable evidence, accused representatives of the Barberini family of numerous abuses and frauds with in cash received from tax collection. For some time, the Barberini had to hide in France, until the intercession of Cardinal Mazarin helped them return to Rome, where they received back all their confiscated property. IN mid-18th century centuries, the male line of the Barberini family was cut short. The last of the once powerful family, Princess Cornelia Barberini (1716–1797), married Giulio Cesare Colonna, marking the beginning of the Barberini-Colonna branch.

History of Palazzo Barberini

In 1625, Pope Urban VIII purchased a plot of land on Quirinal Hill and planned to build his residence there. Palazzo Barberini was built on the site former mansion and the vineyards of the Sforzo family. In ancient times, ancient temples were located here, in particular the Temple of Flora.

Construction of the palazzo has begun in 1627 under the leadership of the architect Carlo Moderna, who, inspired by the model of the Farnese Palace, initially created a design for a quadrangular traditional building in the spirit of the Renaissance. However, in the final version, agreed with the pontiff, he approved the design of a complex structure building, with wings on both sides that follow the contours of the Quirinale hill. In 1629, after death Carlo Moderna The architect began to work on the construction of the palazzo Giovanni Bernini with the participation of Pietro da Cortona. Grandson Carlo also took part in the construction - young Francesco Borromini, who, in addition to one spiral staircase, designed the rear façade of the building and its windows. By joint efforts, the construction of the pompous palazzo was already completed in 1633.

Pontiff Urban VIII was brought up in the spirit of humanistic ideas that reigned in art at that time. This was evident in his philanthropic activities, which he continued especially generously during his time on the papal throne (1623–1644). At this time, the Barberini residence became a kind of salon where famous and talented poets, scientists, artists and sculptors.

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For several years, within the walls of the palazzo there was a workshop where tapestries for the palace were made. Sketches for fabric designs were personally developed by Pietro da Cortona, and the Flemish masters were led by the artist Jacopo della Riviera. The last floor of the building was given over to the extensive library of Francesco Barberini, which contained about 60 thousand printed volumes and 10 thousand manuscripts.

The main façade, facing the Street of Four Fountains (Via delle Quattro Fontane), was designed by Bernini; Currently, on this side there is a magnificent 19th-century front gate and fence with eight pillars decorated with images of Atlanteans, the work of the architect Francesco Azzurri.

Inside the palazzo you can see two beautiful spiral staircases by Bernini and Borromini respectively. Initially, there were several other buildings on the territory of the palazzo that have not survived to this day (large stables, a theater and a manege courtyard were demolished during the construction of Barberini Street).

The history of the palace is closely connected with the history of the Barberini family. In difficult times, in order to adequately maintain the palazzo, many of its treasures were sold. For example, in 1900, Cardinal Francesco's library, as well as Bernini's antique furniture, were purchased by the Vatican. Subsequently, the park area of the palazzo was divided into plots and sold for the development of ministerial buildings. Beginning in 1949, the Barberini Palace and all its furnishings and works of art were sold entirely to the state. As a result, part of the National Gallery of Ancient Art was placed in the left wing of the building, and the right wing was given over to armed forces, who placed the Officers' Assembly here, which can hardly be considered a good decision for a landmark of high historical value.

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Rome National Gallery

Rome is called the ancient and eternal city. Its thousand-year-old monuments are rightly considered the heritage of all mankind. Millions of people from all over the world come to Rome every year to see them. And also in order to see famous works art collected in its richest museums. One of them is the Roman National Gallery.

It is housed in two buildings, one of which is Palazzo Barberini. In 1625, Pope Urban V (of the Barberini family) bought the palace from the Duke of Sforza for his nephews, and the reconstruction of this palace immediately began. The old building plan was preserved, and stones and marble from the destroyed Colosseum were used for the new construction.

He took a great part in the interior decoration of the palace famous artist Pietro da Cortona. To this day, his famous painting of the ceiling of the main hall has been preserved in the Barberini Palace, where Christian and mythological allegories are intertwined in complex paintings full of unbridled imagination. The ceilings of other halls of the palace were also covered with paintings, and their walls were decorated with tapestries.

These tapestries were produced by the factory, which was located in a neighboring building and was founded in 1635 by one of the pope’s nephews, Cardinal Francesco Barberini. He also collected a rich library, in which, among priceless manuscripts and manuscripts, equally priceless letters from the most prominent people of that time and previous eras were kept. In 1902, this library was transferred to the Vatican, and the palace itself was acquired by the Italian state in 1930. Soon its second floor with the famous paintings of Pietro da Cortona was given over to the National Gallery.

The Gallery's art collections arose from the merger of several large private collections, and its foundation was laid in the 18th century by Cardinal Nero Corsini, whose ancient palace is the second part of the Roman National Gallery. The cardinal bought his palace in 1737 and immediately ordered the famous architect Ferdinando Fuga to remodel it. To decorate the halls and rooms of the new palace, by order of the cardinal, the most best works fine and applied arts, and by 1740 Corsini’s collection numbered 600 paintings.

Almost a century and a half later, princes Tommaso and Andrea Corsini sold their palace to the state and gave it a valuable collection of paintings. The palace housed the Accademia dei Lincea and a collection of paintings and sculptures. This collection was then replenished with the collection of Duke G. Torlonia, and then 187 paintings from the Galleria del Monte di Pietà were added to this collection. This is how several large collections came together in Palazzo Corsini, so the question immediately arose about combining them into one collection. And in 1895, the National Gallery of Ancient Art was formed, which immediately began to be replenished through purchases and gifts from private individuals.

The Palazzo Barberini now houses a collection of paintings from before the 17th century, while the Palazzo Corsini exhibits more recent paintings. Despite the fact that extensive alterations have been made to the Palazzo Corsini, many of the paintings are very difficult to see, distinguish and admire, as they are located at an almost dizzying height. In the hall dedicated to creativity artists of the Caravaggio school, the paintings almost touch the ceiling. Such placement makes it very difficult for visitors to see the paintings from the lighting angle that the artists dreamed of when creating their works.

And yet the National Gallery reveals such treasures to visitors that all minor inconveniences do not count. And one of these masterpieces is famous painting Titian's "Venus and Adonis", painted in 1554 by order of King Charles V. This painting was such a stunning success that the artist repeated this plot with slight variations several times. The Roman National Gallery houses just one of these options.

Titian took the plot for the painting from ancient mythology. Turning to the theme of the love of Venus and Adonis, Titian develops this motif in his own way, introducing into the canvas a dramatic motif of experience, which was characteristic of the later works of the great master. Venus is depicted at the moment when she tries to hold Adonis in her arms, striving to the call of the hunting horn. Due to the sudden movement of the goddess, a golden vessel overturned, and a string of precious pearls came out of her hair.

The general mood of the picture is alarming, and it is in tune with the agitated landscape with dark trees, a vague outline of the hills, a sky covered with heavy clouds, through which uneven sunlight barely streams.

The painting comes from the collection of Queen Christina of Sweden. After her death in 1689, it was in several collections, and then was acquired by the Duke of Torlonia and donated by him to the state.

Tintoretto is represented in the National Gallery with the painting “Christ and the Sinner,” imbued with a state of anxious tension. It depicts the moment when Christ, in response to a woman’s accusation of the Fall, offers to throw a stone at her.

Depicting the gospel story, Tintoretto is interested not so much in the event itself as in the state of the human crowd that gripped it after the words of Jesus Christ. The anxiety that gripped people also fills nature. Despite the fact that the action takes place under a gigantic portico, the viewer gets the impression that it is taking place in an endless space. This is facilitated by the sea visible in the spread of giant arches, merging with the expanse of the sky, along which lead clouds float. To increase expression, Tintoretto uses the technique of lengthening human figures characteristic of mannerism.

El Greco uses the same technique in his canvases. Greek by origin, he was born in Crete and here, apparently, he studied with local icon painters. After 1560 he went to Venice and then moved to Spain. Here he first settles at the court of King Philip II, but not recognized by the king and his court, he moves to Toledo, the old capital of Spain.

At the end of 1596, El Greco received an order for three large canvases for the altar of the School of the Shoed Augustinians of Doña Maria of Aragon in Madrid - “The Annunciation”, “The Adoration of the Shepherds” and “The Baptism of Christ”. Subsequently, all three paintings ended up scattered among different museums, and the Roman National Gallery now houses two of them - “The Adoration of the Shepherds” and “The Baptism of Christ.” According to some art historians, they are a repetition of altar paintings or sketches for them.

The action of the gospel plot of the painting “The Adoration of the Shepherds” takes place against the backdrop of an area with fantastic ruins. The arches of the destroyed building, as if swayed by the wind, shot up, and a dark sky with flashes of lightning appeared in the opening of the ruins. The action itself - the shepherds’ worship of the infant Christ - takes place in the foreground of the picture.

El Greco attaches the main importance to color. The combination of Madonna's bright pink dress with the lemon yellow shirt of the shepherd standing next to her, the ultramarine clothing of the angel and the cool green color of the other shepherd's dress creates an unusual range of color shades. The colors seem to fade, then flare up again bright light and reach the greatest intensity of luminescence in the sheets on which the divine child lies, and which emit a silvery radiance around him.

The action of the painting “The Baptism of Christ” takes place as if in other world. Above, flooded with a bright stream sunlight God sits surrounded by angels, and in the foreground at the bottom of the picture a baptism ceremony takes place. Next to the kneeling Christ there is a disproportionately small figurine of an angel holding the Savior’s clothes above the head.

El Greco resorts here to his favorite technique of combining figures of different scales. The entire figurative structure of the painting, with a pronounced, sharp deformation of human figures and the extraordinary richness of bright, seemingly luminous colors, reaches its utmost expressiveness on the canvas.

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The project of the magnificent building, located today on the Via des Four Fountains, was developed by Carlo Maderno (1556-1629), whose name is inextricably linked with the implementation of the ideas of Bramante and Michelangelo when completing the facade of St. Peter's Basilica. Cardinal Maffeo Barberini, known as Pope Urban VIII, who headed the Papal Throne in 1623, commissioned the architect to rebuild the villa bought from the Sforza family to arrange his apartments in it, and also to use part of the building as a representative office of Tuscan families in Rome. Since then, Palazzo Barberini has become an integral part of the architectural heritage of the Eternal City, transforming over several centuries from the papal residence into the National Gallery of Ancient Art.

Palazzo Barberini

In his project, Maderno expanded the Renaissance building of the Villa Sforza, turning it into a real palace worthy of the most noble Roman families.

Palazzo Barberini

Bernini VS Borromini: collaborators or rivals

However, the architect did not have a chance to see the implementation of his plans with his own eyes. After his death in 1629, the work was led by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) in collaboration with Maderno's grandson, the sculptor Francesco Borromini (1599-1667). How accurately the original project of Carlo Maderno was preserved in the joint work of the two architects is still debated by many researchers.

The contradictory attributes of some parts of the building are visible even at a superficial glance. Bernini prescribes the concept of creating a spacious loggia on the facade above the main entrance, large hall and a monumental staircase in the left wing of the palace.

Bernini staircase

Fragment of Bernini's staircase

In contrast, Borromini erected an elegant spiral staircase leading to the upper floors in the right wing of the building, which later housed the library of cardinal, collector of antiquities and philanthropist Francesco Barberini.

Fragment of the Borromini staircase

Frescoes for the Pope

To design the vault of the great hall, which occupies two entire floors of the palace in height, Pope Urban VIII invited the most revered artist, architect and sculptor of the Barberini family, Pietro da Cortona. The exceptional size of the room itself and the complexity of the plot of the monumental fresco “The Triumph of Divine Providence” required several years of complex work carried out by the master in the period 1632-1639.

Fresco by Pietro da Cortona in Palazzo Barberini

Fragment of the fresco by Pietro da Cortona “The Triumph of Divine Providence”

The artist expressed the apotheosis of Maffeo Barberini through an allegory of a number of depicted mythological figures. Central location Providence occupies the scene, dressed in a golden mantle and surrounded by a halo of light, emphasizing the divine nature. With a gesture conveying the Truth, it welcomes many allegorical figures around - Prudence, Justice, Fairness, Mercy and Beauty. Below is a powerfully built naked god Chronos with wings - time devouring his children. To his right are the three Fates: Clotho, Atropo and Lacesi, holding in their hands, according to Roman mythology, the thread of human existence. To the left of the figure of Providence is Immortality approaching in greeting with a wreath of bright stars. The famous coat of arms of the Barberini family - laurel wreath with three bees in the middle, states the spiritual government of the pontiff.

Fresco "The Triumph of Divine Providence" 1632-1639

For the interior decoration of numerous rooms of the palace, Pietro da Cortona attracted his student Giovanni Francesco Romanelli and the artist Andrea Sacchi (1599-1661). His fresco “The Triumph of Divine Wisdom” (1629-1633), painted at the request of Taddeo Barberini, the nephew of Pope Urban VIII, can still be seen today in one of the halls.

Fresco by Andrea Saki “The Triumph of Divine Wisdom” (1629-1633)

Around the Palazzo

An integral part of Maderno's project was the garden at the rear of the palace, decorated with flower beds and ornate hedges. Occupying a rather impressive area - from the Church of San Nicola da Tolentino on the north side to the intersection of the Four Fountains on the south, its territory housed the papal stables, the Manezhny Courtyard and even a theater.

To improve the vast territory, Cardinal Francesco Barberini, the Pope’s nephew, attracted the botanist and naturalist Cassiano dal Pozzo, who cultivated a large number of exotic plants and animals here, including deer, ostriches and camels. However, starting from late XIX century, marked by the annexation of Rome to the Kingdom of Italy, the marginal plots of the Barberini Garden along via XX Settembre began to be sold for the development of ministerial buildings, and in 1936, by order of Mussolini, a significant part of the land plot was transferred to the ownership of Count Ascanio Savorgnan di Brazza. As a result, the magnificent garden today has quite miniature dimensions.

Over its long history, the Palazzo Barberini building itself has undergone virtually no changes. The only additions that decorated the entire palace complex were a fountain in front of the central entrance and an elegant metal fence designed by the architect Francesco Azzurri, developed by him in 1848.

Fountain at the entrance to the palace

The palace fence from the Four Fountains Street

The fence along the Street of Four Fountains and the main entrance gate were erected only in 1865. The monumental statues of the Atlanteans were sculpted for her by Scipione Tadolini (1822-1893), a hereditary architect of the famous family of sculptors for four generations, a student and spiritual heir of Antonio Canova.

Sculptures decorating the palace fence

Fence at the entrance to Palazzo Barberini

From the Papal Residence to the National Gallery

After the unification of Italy and the inclusion of Rome into the Kingdom, in the wake of large-scale transformations, the heirs of the Barberini family were involved in numerous land speculations, provoked by a lack of funds to maintain a luxurious residence. The magnificent park was divided into plots and sold off. The library, founded by Cardinal Francesco Barberini and containing more than 60 thousand volumes and manuscripts, became the property of the Vatican, not without compensation, along with some furniture items made according to Bernini’s sketches.

The advent of the 20th century also did not bring financial stability to the heirs of the eminent family. In the 30s, a significant part of the right wing of Palazzo Barberini had to be leased on a long-term basis to the Italian Ministry of the Armed Forces for an officers' club, and in 1949 the entire palace complex was purchased by the state in order to expand the National Gallery of Ancient Art (Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica di Roma) .

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The National Gallery of Ancient Art was officially founded in 1893, after Prince Corsini donated a large collection of paintings to the state. Initially it was located in his villa. Over time, the lack of free space to accommodate the constantly growing collection forced the Ministry cultural heritage look for new areas for it. Today the Gallery occupies two buildings - Palazzo Corsini and Palazzo Barberini.

The purchase of the building provided for the placement of the collection throughout the spacious halls of Palazzo Barberini, but a significant obstacle to this was the notorious officers' club of the armed forces, the lease with which expired only in 1953. Although the agreement was not renewed and no rent was collected until 1965, much of the building continued to be operated by the Department of Defense. Since 1974, this state of affairs has led to a real war between two government departments. Only in 1997, taking into account the upcoming anniversary year 2000, a memorandum of understanding was signed providing for the vacancy of the premises due to the need for restoration and restoration of the palace.

One of the halls of the palace

Between these events, in 1984, the Corsini collection was moved back to its original place in the villa, and the remaining collection of works of art was somewhat rearranged and left in the left wing of Palazzo Barberini.
In 2011, at the end of five years of restoration work, another floor was opened to the public in the palace, thus increasing the number of halls in it to 34.

An endless series of palace halls

One of the most visited and landmarks in Rome is the National Gallery of Ancient Art. The richest collections of works of art are collected here. The gallery occupies the Barberini Palace, located in the square of the same name, and the Corsini Palace, which is located on the opposite bank of the Tiber River, which crosses Rome.
Here you can get acquainted with the works of Filippo Lippi, who is a representative Italian painting 15th century, as well as with works by Raphael, Tintoretto, Titian, Bronzino, Andrea del Sarto and others Italian artists, both famous and unknown.

History of origin

The Barberini Palace, in which part of the Gallery is located, was built at the beginning of the 17th century (1633). More precisely, it was rebuilt from the Palace bought by Barberini from the Duke of Sforza.
In 1930, the building of the Barberini Palace was transferred to the state, which opened the National Gallery on its second floor.
The second palace that houses the Gallery is the Corsini Palace. It was built in the 15th century and belonged to Cardinal Riario. In the 18th century the building was rebuilt. The exhibition presented here is also called the Corsini Gallery. The Palace itself was built at the beginning of the 14th century (1519).
The basis of the collection of the National Gallery of Ancient Art was many works by artists that consisted of private collections. They were brought together by Cardinal Nero Corsini. He used them to decorate the palace he bought at the beginning of the 18th century and named after him. Corsini's descendants, Princes Andrea and Tommaso, handed over the Corsini Palace to the state, along with the collection of works of art that decorate it.
The official year of formation of the National Gallery of Ancient Art is 1895, when it united the collections collected in both Palaces.

Architecture

The Barberini Palace is the creation of the architect Carlo Maderno and his nephew Francesco Borromini, as well as the great Italian sculptor and artist Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini.
It is made in Baroque style. The exhibition on its first floor consists of a large collection of paintings from the 13th and 14th centuries, by Titian, El Greco and others.
The ceiling and walls of the Grand Salon of the Barberini Palace, where part of the exhibition of the National Gallery of Ancient Art is located, was painted by Pietro da Cortona. It is presented here work of art entitled “Allegory of Divine Providence”, executed at the beginning of the 17th century.
In this part of the Gallery you can see the “snail-shaped” staircase, which was created by Borromini, as well as part of the Palestrina mosaic, the age of which is dated, by some scientists, to the first century BC.
The Corsini Palace is designed in a neoclassical style. It is decorated with balustrades and pilasters, as well as sculptures and the main staircase, which are the work of the architect Ferdinando Fugue.

Note to tourists

You can visit the National Gallery of Ancient Art daily from 08:30 to 19:30. Monday is considered a day off.
You can get here by buses No. 36, No. 38, No. 40, No. 90, No. 105 and others, as well as metro lines “A” and “B”.

Neighborhood

Not far from the Barberini Palace, which houses part of the National Gallery of Ancient Art, there is another National Gallery, which contains objects of ancient art. It was discovered by Carlo Maderno at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
In the same area is the Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, which is a striking architectural monument.