It will be the event that will mark the cultural agenda of the jubilee year. The exhibition ‘Caravaggio 2025’, considered one of the most important dedicated to Michelangelo Merisi (Milan, 1571-Porto Ercole, 1610), was officially presented in the majestic Barberini Palace in Rome. The exhibition brings together more than … 40 paintings, among some of his most famous works. Two recently rediscovered works will also be on display at the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Palazzo Barberini and will be shown to the public for the first time, which is one of the strong points of the exhibition. This is ‘Ecce Homo’, currently in the Prado Museum in Madrid, one of his most moving works, which will return to Italy for the first time in centuries. This painting was discovered in 2014, when a private collector put it up for sale at the Ansorena gallery in Madrid. Experts from the Prado Museum, including restorers, confirmed that it is indeed the work of the Baroque master. The painting was made between 1605 and 1609 and was part of the private collection of Philip IV.
The other novelty in the exhibition is the portrait of Maffeo Barberini, recently presented to the public after having been missing for more than 60 years. Added to these works are other prestigious loans, such as Saint Catherine, from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, and Martha and Magdalene, from the Detroit Institute of Arts, for which the artist used the same model as the Judith kept in the Barberini Palace. For the first time, these works will be exhibited together. The exhibition will also feature three paintings commissioned by banker Ottavio Costa, art collector and patron of Caravaggio: Judith and Holofernes, from the Barberini Palace; Saint John the Baptist, from the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City; and Saint Francis in Ecstasy, from the Wadsworth Atheneum of Art in Hartford. In addition, works related to the Barberini’s collecting history will be presented, such as a painting from the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, which returns to the Roman palace where it was kept for a long time. The tour is completed with an important loan granted by the Intesa Sanpaolo bank: the Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, Caravaggio’s last painting, made shortly before his death.
The selection of works, by curators Francesca Cappelletti, María Cristina Terzaghi and Thomas Clement Salomon, explores the evolution of Caravaggio’s innovative style and its influence on the artistic and religious panorama of his time. The exhibition focuses on the revolutionary use of light that Caravaggio introduced into his work, marking a break with previous pictorial traditions. The route is articulated in different thematic axes that highlight the evolution of the artist’s pictorial language, from his first commissions, in which the naturalism and intensity of his brushstrokes can already be perceived, to his mature works, marked by an almost theatrical use. of chiaroscuro. The rooms of the Barberini Palace will host a constant dialogue between light and shadow, showing the revolutionary genius of Caravaggio, who knew how to give psychological density and drama to his biblical characters and scenes of daily life, opening a new chapter in the history of art.
In statements to the press, Francesca Cappellettione of the curators of the exhibition, described ‘Caravaggio 2025’ as “the definitive tribute to the painter who broke molds and marked a before and after in European painting.” Cappelletti highlighted that «this exhibition is more than a simple chronological tour; “It is an in-depth exploration of the mind and environment of an artist who, with his brush, challenged the conventions of his time.” For its part, Maria Cristina Terzaghian expert on Caravaggio who investigated ‘Ecce Homo’ in Madrid, highlighted “the dialogue that is established between the most celebrated works and those less known, allowing us to understand that, in each commission, Caravaggio traced a path of innovation and rebellion.” Thomas Clement Salomonalso from the curatorial team, underlined the determining role of Rome in the life and work of the master: «We cannot explain Caravaggio without the eternal city, its streets, its churches and, of course, the relationship with the cardinals and nobles who were their protectors.
The Italian Ministry of Culture highlighted in a statement the relevance of “an exhibition project of these dimensions”, underlining that “the name of Caravaggio is one of the most powerful emblems of Italian cultural heritage.” At the same time, the ministry stressed the importance of Rome, and specifically one of its most representative historical palaces, hosting this exhibition. Indeed, there could be no better setting than the Barberini Palace, known for its grandiose architecture and its rich art collection, which bears the surname of Pope Urban VIII, elected in 1623. The palace was built from 1625 for the Barberini family, especially influential in the times of Urban VIII, lover of pomp and great patron, cultured and art collector.
The Barberini Palace was a privileged witness to the relationship between Caravaggio and several of his distinguished patrons. Its baroque architecture, the work of masters such as Carlo Maderno, Bernini and Borromini, is the ideal setting to highlight the chromatic and scenic qualities of the Milanese artist. In addition, it houses the National Gallery of Ancient Art, an institution that houses essential works of Italian painting. As the curators commented, the aim has been for the visitor to follow an itinerary that integrates the power of Caravaggio with the palace environment, fusing art and architecture in an exhibition proposal of great impact.
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