The exhibition

One of the highlights of Rome’s cultural calendar, the National Galleries of Ancient Art present this major exhibition at Palazzo Barberini, located in the very heart of Rome. Bernini and the Barberini focuses on one of the most influential partnerships in art history: that between Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Maffeo Barberini, who became Pope Urban VIII in 1623.
This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to discover the origins of Roman Baroque art, through the artistic and personal bond between an ambitious Pope and one of the greatest geniuses of European art. The exhibition also coincides with the celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the consecration of St. Peter’s Basilica, a key moment in understanding the artistic and urban development of 17th-century Rome.
Visiting Palazzo Barberini means stepping into a time when Rome became the creative center of the Baroque era, shaped by the collaboration between Bernini and the powerful Barberini family, whose patronage profoundly transformed the city’s architectural and artistic identity.
The exhibition unfolds across six thematic sections, each dedicated to a significant phase in Bernini’s career and his close relationship with the Barberini family. The itinerary traces the artist’s evolution from his early works, influenced by late Mannerism learned in the workshop of his father, Pietro Bernini, to the emergence of a highly dynamic and expressive personal style that defined Baroque sculpture.
On display are exceptional international loans, including Saint Sebastian from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid and the Putto with Dragon from the Getty Museum, marking a turning point in Bernini’s artistic development. Alongside these works, pieces such as The Four Seasons from the Aldobrandini Collection provide insight into the artistic dialogue between father and son and Bernini’s formative years.
One of the exhibition’s most fascinating highlights is the return to Palazzo Barberini of the Gallery of Barberini Ancestors, a remarkable series of marble portrait busts created by Bernini and other leading 17th-century sculptors, such as Giuliano Finelli and Francesco Mochi, now normally housed in museums and private collections worldwide.
The exhibition also dedicates significant space to Bernini as a painter, featuring rarely seen paintings and works exhibited to the public for the first time. Drawings, engravings, and models further illustrate Bernini’s central role in the major building projects of Baroque Rome, particularly at St. Peter’s Basilica, from the iconic Baldachin to the tomb of Pope Urban VIII.
The final section places Bernini’s masterpieces in dialogue with works by other great artists of the 17th century, including Guido Reni, offering a broader perspective on the artistic taste of the era and the cultural patronage of the Barberini dynasty, which left an enduring mark on the history of Rome.

Don’t miss the Bernini and the Barberini exhibition at Palazzo Barberini and discover one of the most fascinating periods in art history while staying at 47 Boutique Hotel.