The Cardinal and His Private Museum
The history of the Galleria Borghese is inseparable from the figure of Scipione Borghese (1577–1633), nephew of Pope Paul V and one of the most audacious and visionary patrons of seventeenth-century Rome.
Scipione was not merely a buyer: he was a cultural predator. He used his ecclesiastical position and papal favour to obtain works of art by every means — purchases, commissions, confiscations, pressure on artists and collectors. When the painter Giuseppe Cesari d'Arpino was arrested in 1607 for tax offences, Scipione obtained the seizure of his entire collection. When Caravaggio was being sought by the law, Scipione became his protector in exchange for works.
The result was a collection of extraordinary quality, today considered among the most important in the world.
The Villa Pinciana
In 1608 Scipione commissioned the architect Flaminio Ponzio (subsequently Giovanni Vasanzio) to build a suburban villa at the foot of the Pincian Hill, at the northern edge of the gardens acquired in previous years.
The villa — originally called the Villa Pinciana — was not designed as a primary residence but as a casino del piacere (pleasure house): a space for gathering friends, admirers and patrons around the collection, in a setting of nature and art that reflected the ideal of noble life of the period.
The façade is articulated in three forward-projecting sections and decorated with antique reliefs, bas-reliefs and walled statues — a practice of the time that used fragments of antiquity as decorative elements. The building was completed around 1613.
Bernini: The Sculptor of the Collection
The relationship between Scipione Borghese and Gian Lorenzo Bernini is one of the most fruitful in art history. Bernini, barely in his twenties, produced for the cardinal a series of sculptures that revolutionised European sculptural language:
- Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius (1618–1619): the first great commissioned group, when Bernini was barely twenty
- The Rape of Proserpina (1621–1622): the group that first demonstrates Bernini's ability to render flesh in marble
- Apollo and Daphne (1622–1625): the absolute masterpiece, representing the moment of metamorphosis
- David (1623–1624): the sculptor portrays himself in the taut face of the figure
These four sculptures, still today in the room for which they were created, constitute the most precious nucleus of the collection.
Caravaggio in the Collection
Scipione Borghese was the most important patron and protector of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio in Rome. The collection holds six paintings by Caravaggio — the highest number in a single collection worldwide:
- Madonna of the Palafrenieri (1605–1606)
- Saint Jerome Writing (1605)
- David with the Head of Goliath (1609–1610)
- Saint John the Baptist (1610)
- Sick Bacchus (~1593–1594)
- Boy with a Basket of Fruit (~1593–1594)
The Madonna of the Palafrenieri was rejected by the original commission (Saint Peter's in the Vatican) as being improper: Scipione purchased it two days after the refusal.
The Eighteenth Century and the Napoleonic Sale
In 1807, during the Napoleonic occupation of Rome, Prince Camillo Borghese — husband of Pauline Bonaparte — sold to Napoleon 344 ancient and modern sculptures from the collection. The works departed for Paris and are today in the Louvre. This loss explains some gaps in the current collection.
In compensation, Camillo commissioned from Antonio Canova the celebrated portrait of Pauline as Venus Victrix (1805–1808), one of the most photographed pieces in the collection.
Nationalisation and Modern Management
The villa and collection remained in the possession of the Borghese family until 1902, when they passed to the Italian state. After decades of problematic management, the Gallery was closed for a long restoration (1983–1997) and reopened in its current form.
Today the Galleria Borghese is among the most visited museums in Italy, with a system of mandatory reservations and visits limited to 360 people every two hours — which guarantees an experience entirely different from the great mass-market museums.
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
When was the Villa Borghese built? The villa was built between approximately 1608 and 1613 to designs by Flaminio Ponzio and Giovanni Vasanzio, commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese.
How many Caravaggios are at the Galleria Borghese? Six paintings by Caravaggio — the highest number in the world in a single publicly accessible collection.
Why are some Borghese sculptures at the Louvre? In 1807 Prince Camillo Borghese sold 344 works to Napoleon Bonaparte. The sculptures were transferred to Paris and remain at the Louvre today.
Article no. 161 — TIER S — MON-09 Galleria Borghese Type: HISTORICAL Words: ~850