The history of the original collection
Scipione Borghese built his antiquities collection during the seventeenth century with the same ruthlessness he applied to acquiring paintings and commissioning sculptures. The difference is that antiquities — Roman marbles, bronzes, engraved gems — were more readily available on the Roman market, then flourishing with clandestine excavations and the trade in works.
During the seventeenth century the collection reached extraordinary dimensions: hundreds of classical sculptures, bas-reliefs, urns, imperial portraits, architectural fragments. The villa itself was designed as a dialogue between ancient and modern: Bernini's sculptures were displayed beside Roman originals, creating a visual continuity between first-century and seventeenth-century art.
The 1807 sale: what went to the Louvre
In 1807, Prince Camillo Borghese — husband of Pauline Bonaparte — sold Napoleon 344 pieces of the collection for 8 million francs. The transaction was concluded quickly and the works departed for Paris, where they came to populate the Musée Napoléon (later the Louvre).
Among the pieces ceded were:
- The Borghese Gladiator (1st century BC, work by Agasias of Ephesus), one of the most celebrated examples of Hellenistic sculpture
- The Borghese Vase (1st century BC), a marble amphora with Bacchanalian scenes
- Numerous imperial portraits and sarcophagi
- The original Sleeping Hermaphrodite and the remainder of the Hellenistic sculpture collection
The Sleeping Hermaphrodite now at the Borghese is a Roman copy of a Greek original, enriched by the celebrated marble mattress sculpted by Bernini in 1620 — a Baroque addition to a classical work.
What remains today
Roman mosaics (Rooms VI and VII)
The floors of the ground-floor corridors consist of original Roman mosaics from the 2nd–3rd century AD, originating from excavations in the Roman countryside. They depict gladiators, hunting scenes and mythological figures with exceptional quality of execution. Often overlooked by visitors walking over them, they are an architectural element of extraordinary value.
Hellenistic and Roman sculptures
Several sculptures of Roman date or Hellenistic inspiration remain in the ground-floor rooms, including copies of lost Greek originals. The dialogue with Bernini's sculptures was intentional: Scipione wanted ancient and contemporary art to confront each other in the same space.
The collection of gems and cameos
The Borghese Gallery holds a small but significant collection of engraved ancient gems and cameos, displayed in part in the showcases of the transitional rooms.
The context at the Louvre
For those visiting both museums, the Louvre's Greek and Etruscan antiquities sections allow visitors to see the other half of the Borghese collection. The 344 pieces ceded in 1807 are there, displayed in the same rooms of the Musée Napoléon. The Borghese Gladiator is one of the most admired marbles in the Louvre.
With a private driver
Reach the Borghese Gallery by private driver. From your hotel, airport or station — direct and on time. Service from €49. → Book at myromedriver.com
Frequently asked questions
How many Borghese works are in the Louvre? 344 pieces, mainly ancient sculptures, vases and marbles. They are displayed in the Louvre's Département des Antiquités grecques, étrusques et romaines.
Are the floor mosaics originals? Yes. The mosaics in Rooms VI and VII are original Roman works from the 2nd–3rd century AD. They are not reproductions.
Is the Sleeping Hermaphrodite at the Borghese the original? No, it is a Roman copy of a Greek original (2nd century BC). The original has not survived. The marble mattress, however, is an original work by Bernini dating from 1620.
Article no. 179 — TIER S — MON-09 Borghese Gallery Type: HISTORICAL Words: ~640