The Upper Floor
The upper floor of the Galleria Borghese (Rooms XI–XX) is the picture gallery. While the ground floor is dominated by sculpture, here is concentrated the painting that Scipione Borghese — the greatest collector of his time — amassed between the late sixteenth century and 1633.
The quality is exceptional: this is not an encyclopaedic collection but a selection of absolute masterpieces, each of which would merit a visit on its own.
Raphael — The Deposition (1507)
The Deposition of Christ is considered one of the masterpieces of the young Raphael, painted at age 24 for Atalanta Baglioni in Perugia in memory of her murdered son. The work was seized from Perugia in 1608 on the orders of Scipione Borghese, who had it spirited away at night — one of the most brazen acts of appropriation in the history of collecting.
The painting shows the transport of Christ's body to the tomb, with figures bending under the weight: the composition draws on classical models (Roman sarcophagi depicting the death of Meleager) and transforms them into Christian pathos.
Titian — Sacred and Profane Love (~1514)
The absolute masterpiece of the picture gallery. Two women — one clothed, one nude — sit on either side of a fountain, with a small Cupid between them. The exact meaning remains debated: the Neoplatonic tradition reads them as earthly and heavenly love; other interpretations see a bride and Venus.
The chromatic quality is extraordinary: the red of the nude woman's drapery is one of the most intense reds in the history of Venetian painting. The work is practically untransportable because of its value and fragility — it is one of the reasons the Galleria Borghese is considered unmissable.
Rubens — The Deposition from the Cross (~1602)
Peter Paul Rubens painted this large-format work during his Italian sojourn (1600–1608). The composition — Christ's body supported by figures in diagonal — anticipates the fully mature style of the Flemish painter. It is one of the rare Rubens in Italy outside churches.
Correggio — Danaë (1531)
Antonio Allegri da Correggio depicts Danaë lying on a bed of clouds as Jupiter transforms into a shower of gold to unite with her. The softness of the flesh, the diffused light, the silver sky: Correggio's style directly influenced eighteenth-century painting, particularly Boucher and Rococo decoration.
Antonello da Messina — Portrait of a Man (~1475)
One of the few Antonellos outside Sicily. The Portrait of a Man attributed to Antonello da Messina represents an example of the Flemish realism that Antonello brought to Italy through oil technique. The man turns his head slightly towards the viewer with an expression that oscillates between detachment and challenge.
Lorenzo Lotto — Portrait of a Man (c. 1530)
Lorenzo Lotto is one of the great portraitists of the sixteenth century. The portrait held at the Borghese shows his capacity for psychological penetration: the subject is not posing, but seems caught in the middle of a thought.
Pinturicchio and the Flemish School
The picture gallery also holds minor works of great quality: panels from the Flemish school (Jan Gossaert, the Master of the Legend of Saint Lucy), works by Pinturicchio, and a selection of Italian fifteenth-century panels.
How to Organise the Visit
The two-hour slot divides naturally between the ground floor (~70 minutes) and the picture gallery (~50 minutes). For those wishing to explore the picture gallery in depth, the 9:00 slot is recommended: the morning light in the upper floor halls is the best of the day.
The picture gallery route is less constrained than the ground floor: one can start from any room, but the recommended direction is anticlockwise, following the room numbering.
With a Private Driver
Reach the Galleria Borghese with a private driver. From your hotel, airport or station — direct and on time. Service from €49. → Book at myromedriver.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the absolute masterpiece of the picture gallery? Titian's Sacred and Profane Love (~1514) is considered among the greatest masterpieces of sixteenth-century Venetian painting.
Was Raphael's Deposition really stolen? Yes. Scipione Borghese had it removed overnight from the church of San Francesco al Prato in Perugia in 1608. Perugia protested for centuries.
Do the paintings on the upper floor include Caravaggio? No. All six Caravaggio works are on the ground floor, in Rooms VIII and IX.
Article no. 166 — TIER S — MON-09 Galleria Borghese Type: HISTORICAL Words: ~700