Unscheduled
Saturday, January 31st, at 3 pm, at the San Francesco Monumental Complex, a lecture on the works of the Borghese Gallery accompanied by Ettore Giovanati, curator of the exhibition "The Borghese Gallery. From Raphael to Bernini. The Story of a Collection." Saturday, January 31st, at 3 pm, in Cuneo, at the San Francesco Monumental Complex, a lecture on the works of the Borghese Gallery accompanied by Ettore Giovanati, curator of the exhibition "The Borghese Gallery. From Raphael to Bernini. The Story of a Collection." Free event, reservations required.
The Exhibition: The Story of a Collection
The exhibition recounts the extraordinary collecting career of Cardinal Scipione Caffarelli Borghese (1577–1633), a central figure in seventeenth-century Rome and a key figure in the Baroque art scene. A visionary patron and tireless collector, Scipione shaped a modern model of collecting, founded on criteria of quality and aesthetic coherence, capable of combining personal taste and dynastic legitimacy.
The nephew of Pope Paul V, the cardinal established himself as one of the leading cultural promoters of his era: he supported ambitious architectural undertakings, transformed Villa Borghese into an ideal museum designed to house and showcase his collection, and built, with often daring methods, a collection destined to become one of the most celebrated in Europe. His passion ranged from antiquities to Renaissance masters, all the way to the most advanced Baroque art.
Through a selection of masterpieces by artists such as Titian, Jacopo Bassano, and Guido Reni, from the Borghese Gallery and housed in the Monumental Complex of San Francesco, the exhibition traces the artistic choices of the cardinal and his descendants. The works demonstrate Scipione's ability to shape artistic taste and gather representative examples of the various Italian painting schools, conveying the diversity and uniqueness of an unparalleled collection.
An exhibition to experience.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a catalog published by Allemandi, with scholarly contributions by Ettore Giovanati, and featuring Lucia Calzona and Antonio Iommelli. As in previous editions, the exhibition will be enriched by a rich program of complementary events both inside and outside the exhibition, including lectures and in-depth discussions, guided tours for the public, and activities and workshops for schools of all levels, families, and visitors of all ages. It will also be possible to visit the exhibition independently thanks to free audio guides in Italian and English, with one dedicated itinerary for adults and one for children. To ensure accessibility, the content will also be supplemented by audio-visual materials, also available in sign language.
Free guided tours of the exhibition are scheduled every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 PM and 6:00 PM. Reservations are recommended. Guided tours of the exhibition "The Borghese Gallery: from Raphael to Bernini" take the public through the spaces of the Monumental Complex of San Francesco to discover the universe of Cardinal Scipione Caffarelli Borghese: a figure capable of transforming his passion into a cultural project that has marked history.
Holders of an entrance ticket to the exhibition will be entitled to reduced-price access to the Gallerie d'Italia in Turin, Milan, Vicenza and Naples, until June 30, 2026.
