GALLERIA BORGHESE

Description

Essentials about the Galleria Borghese in brief

Art lovers should definitely visit the Galleria Borghese on a trip to Rome. With works by Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Rubens, Titian and Veronese, the Galleria Borghese is one of the most famous and valuable private art collections in the world. The gallery is housed in the casino of Villa Borghese, the beautiful country estate of the noble Borghese family. Covering 80 hectares, Villa Borghese is Rome’s largest public park and a lovely green oasis of tranquility in the midst of Italy’s hectic capital.

The history of the Galleria Borghese

The Galleria Borghese dates back to the collecting activities of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who was also the builder of the casino. The casino originally housed only the cardinal’s collection of antiquities and sculptures, while most of the paintings hung in the Borghese’s city palace in Rome. The collection remained fairly complete until the 19th century, except for a few losses, and received additional valuable additions. Serious losses occurred in the course of the marriage between Camillo Borghese and Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister. Under pressure from Napoleon, the duke had to sell a number of works of art, some of which are now among the showpieces of the Louvre in Paris. The gallery lost a total of 154 statues, 160 busts, 170 reliefs, 30 columns and several vases to France.

The collection of the Galleria Borghese

At the beginning of the 19th century, the archaeological collection was enriched by finds from the excavations carried out on the family’s properties at the instigation of Marcantonio Borghese. The so-called statue casino was established, which contains a rich collection of antiquities, some of them important. The collection of the Galleria Borghese includes works by Antonello da Messina, Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Rubens, Titian and Veronese, among others, as well as sculptures by Bernini and Canova.

Villa Borghese

Those who need to recover from this overabundance of artistic masterpieces can do so excellently in the adjacent Villa Borghese, Rome’s largest public park, covering 80 hectares. With its wide shaded alleys, several temples, beautiful fountains and many statues, the park forms a pleasant green oasis of calm amidst the hustle and bustle of Rome.