National Gallery of Ancient Art in Rome. Palazzo Barberini: From the Papal Residence to the National Gallery of Ancient Art Works of art in Corsini and Barberini

February 16, 2019

The project of the magnificent building, located today on the street of the Four Fountains, was developed by Carlo Maderno (1556-1629), whose name is inextricably linked with the implementation of the ideas of Bramante and Michelangelo when completing the facade of St. Peter's Cathedral. Cardinal Maffeo Barberini, known as Pope Urban VIII, who headed the Papal Throne in 1623, instructed the architect to rebuild the villa bought from the Sforza family to equip his apartments in it, and also use part of the building as a representation of Tuscan families in Rome. Since then, Palazzo Barberini has become an integral part of the architectural heritage of the Eternal City, transforming over several centuries from a papal residence into the National Gallery old art.

Palazzo Barberini


In his project, Maderno expanded the Renaissance building of the Villa Sforza, turning it into a real palace, worthy of the most noble Roman families.

Palazzo Barberini

Bernini VS Borromini: co-authors or rivals

However, the architect did not have a chance to see the embodiment of his plans with his own eyes. After his death in 1629, the work was led by Jean Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) in collaboration with Maderno's grandson, the sculptor Francesco Borromini (1599-1667). How accurately the original project of Carlo Maderno was preserved in the joint work of two architects, many researchers still argue.

The contradictory attributes of some parts of the building are visible even at a superficial glance. Bernini prescribes the concept of creating a spacious loggia on the facade above the main entrance, a large hall and a monumental staircase in the left wing of the palace.

Bernini stairs


Fragment of the Bernini stairs


In contrast, Borromini erected an elegant spiral staircase leading to the upper floors in the right wing of the building, which later housed the library of the cardinal, collector of antiquities and philanthropist Francesco Barberini.


Fragment of the Borromini stairs

Frescoes for the Pope

To decorate the vault of the large hall, which occupies two whole floors of the palace in height, Pope Urban VIII attracted the most revered artist, architect and sculptor Pietro da Cortona in the Barberini family. The exceptional dimensions of the room itself and the complexity of the narrative of the monumental fresco "The Triumph of Divine Providence" required several years of complex work carried out by the master in the period 1632-1639.

Fresco by Pietro da Cortona in the Palazzo Barberini


Fragment of the fresco by Pietro da Cortona "The Triumph of Divine Providence"


The artist expressed the apotheosis of Maffeo Barberini through the allegory of a number of depicted mythological figures. The central place in the scene is occupied by Providence, dressed in a golden robe and surrounded by a halo of light, emphasizing the divine nature. With a Truth-bearing gesture, it greets the many allegorical figures around - Reason, Justice, Justice, Mercy and Beauty. Below is a powerfully built naked god Chronos with wings - time devouring its children. To his right are three Fates: Clotho, Atropo and Lachesi, holding in their hands, according to Roman mythology, the thread of human existence. To the left of the figure of Providence is Immortality approaching in greeting with a wreath of bright stars. The famous coat of arms of the Barberini family - a laurel wreath with three bees in the middle, claims the spiritual government of the pontiff.

Fresco "The Triumph of Divine Providence" 1632-1639


For the interior decoration of numerous rooms of the palace, Pietro da Cortona attracted his student Giovanni Francesco Romanelli and the artist Andrea Sacchi (1599-1661). His fresco "The Triumph of Divine Wisdom" (1629-1633), written at the request of Taddeo Barberini, the nephew of Pope Urban VIII, can still be seen in one of the halls today.

Fresco by Andrea Sachi "The Triumph of Divine Wisdom" (1629-1633)

Around the Palazzo

An integral part of the Maderno project was the garden on the back of the palace, decorated with flower beds and ornate hedges. Occupying a rather impressive area - from the church of San Nicola da Tolentino on the north side to the intersection of the Four Fountains on the south, the papal stables, the Manege Court and even the theater were located on its territory.

To improve the vast territory, Cardinal Francesco Barberini, the Pope's nephew, attracted the botanist and naturalist Cassiano dal Pozzo, who cultivated a large number of exotic plants and animals here, including deer, ostriches and camels. However, starting from late XIX century, marked by the accession of Rome to the Kingdom of Italy, the marginal plots of the Barberini Garden along via XX Settembre began to be sold for the development of ministerial buildings, and in 1936, by order of Mussolini, a significant part of the land allotment was transferred to the ownership of Count Ascanio Savorgnan di Brazza. As a result, the magnificent garden today has a rather miniature size.


For my long history the building of the Palazzo Barberini itself has not undergone practically any changes. The only addition that adorned the entire palace complex, became a fountain in front of the main entrance and an elegant metal fence designed by the architect Francesco Azzurri, designed by him in 1848.

Fountain at the entrance to the palace

The fence of the palace from the street of the Four Fountains


A fence along the Street of Four Fountains and front entrance gate erected only in 1865. The monumental statues of the Atlanteans were sculpted for her by Scipione Tadolini (1822-1893), a hereditary architect famous family sculptors in four generations, student and spiritual heir of Antonio Canova.

Sculptures decorating the palace fence


Fence at the entrance to the Palazzo Barberini

From Papal Residence to National Gallery

After the unification of Italy and the incorporation of Rome into the Kingdom, in the wake of large-scale transformations, the heirs of the Barberini family were involved in numerous land speculations, provoked by a lack of funds to maintain a luxurious residence. The magnificent park was divided into lots and sold out. The library, founded by Cardinal Francesco Barberini and numbering more than 60 thousand volumes and manuscripts, did not become the property of the Vatican without compensation, along with some furniture items made according to Bernini's sketches.

The coming XX century also did not bring financial stability to the heirs of the eminent family. In the 30s, a significant part of the right wing of the Barberini Palace had to be leased to the Italian Ministry of the Armed Forces for a long-term lease for an officers' club, and in 1949 the entire palace complex was bought by the state in order to expand the National Gallery of Ancient Art (Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica di Roma) .

This is interesting!

The National Gallery of Ancient Art was officially founded in 1893, after the donation of a large collection of paintings by Prince Corsini to the state. Initially, it was located in his villa. Over time, the lack of free space to accommodate the constantly growing collection forced the Ministry of Cultural Heritage to look for new areas for it. Today the Gallery occupies two buildings - Palazzo Corsini and Palazzo Barberini.


The purchase of the building provided for the placement of the collection throughout the spacious halls of the Palazzo Barberini, but a significant obstacle to this was the notorious officers' club of the armed forces, the lease with which expired only in 1953. Although the agreement was not renewed and no rent was collected until 1965, a significant portion of the building continued to be administered by the Department of Defense. Beginning in 1974, this state of affairs led to real war two government departments. Only in 1997, taking into account the upcoming jubilee year 2000, a memorandum of understanding was signed, providing for the release of premises in connection with the need for restoration and restoration of the palace.

One of the halls of the palace


Between these events, in 1984, the Corsini collection was moved back to its original place in the villa, while the remaining art collection was somewhat rearranged and left in the left wing of the Palazzo Barberini.
In 2011, at the end of five years of restoration work, another floor was opened to the public in the palace, thus increasing the number of halls in it to 34.

An endless series of halls of the palace

Introduction

ü explore the history and exhibition of the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Rome.

ü recreate the stages of the formation of the national gallery of ancient art in Rome;

ü analyze some of the works of famous artists.

This topic is relevant, as many people want to escape from everyday life, enjoy art, creations the greatest artists and sculptors. Expand your horizons, plunge into the history of other countries and eras. And where can this be done, if not in the greatest museums in the world.

Each country is famous for its culture and traditions, history and architecture. Italy is one of those rare countries where you can return again and again - and each time you cross the river of time that separates us from the past centuries and millennia. Beautiful creations of human genius, ancient bridges across deceptively calm rivers, noisy, tourist-filled and quiet, cozy squares, decorated with fountains - works of art, friendly residents and greatest museums peace...

One such place is Rome. The excessive abundance of attractions in Rome, which, it seems, would be enough for a small country, apparently encourages the Romans to create the same abundance of museums - so that as little dust as possible in the storerooms. There are museums for every taste, from archaeological to art, theater museum and the firemen's museum (which, by the way, represents firefighting since the time of Emperor Augustus). More than one writer and poet who came to live in Rome was honored with museums.

Of course, tourists have to donate most of the museums, since there are a large number of them. Absolute favorites for short visits of 2-3 days are the Vatican Museums, the Borghese Gallery, the excavations on the Palatine Hill and the Capitoline Museums. But those who have the opportunity to stay longer will not regret the time spent in the National Gallery of Ancient Art.

The gallery presents paintings by Caravaggio(“Judith and Holofernes”), Holbein, Raphael (“Fornarina”), Poussin, Tintoretto, Titian, Guido Reni, Rubens, Murillo and other artists, as well as furniture, majolica and porcelain.

1. Buildings of the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Rome

The National Gallery of Ancient Art was founded in 1895 and included several collections. Since then, it has been constantly replenished. After the Second World War, its collection was placed in two palaces - Barberini and Corsini.

Palazzo Barberini belonged to a powerful Florentine family. This palace was built in 1627-1633. in the Mannerist style by the architect Carlo Maderna with the participation of Francesco Borromini and Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini. For a long time, the Barberini Palace housed such artistic treasures as the Barberini Faun, the Nile Mosaic from Palestrina and the Portland Vase, which is considered the most outstanding antique glass work. Under the palace, the ruins of Mithraeum (the temple of the god Mithras) have been preserved.

Currently, this museum presents collections of porcelain, majolica and furniture, paintings by Raphael, Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Guido Reni, Titian, Bartolome Estebano Murillo, Peter Paul Rubens and other outstanding painters.

In 1510-1512. Cardinal Rafael Riario, nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, built a palace in the Trastevere area. In 1658, the abdicated Swedish Queen Christina settled here. She showed interest in art and culture, collected a magnificent library and a collection of rare items, communicated with writers, poets, composers, and artists. Christina died in 1689.

In 1736, the architect Ferdinando Fuga reconstructed the building, which came into the possession of Cardinal Neri Corsini from a noble Florentine family, the nephew of Pope Clement XII.

The palace became three-story, acquired a neoclassical facade with a balustrade and pilasters, a grand staircase and statues.

In 1893, the state bought the building from the Corsini family, who presented him with their painting collection as a gift. Subsequently, the collection was replenished with new canvases.

The Corsini Gallery houses paintings by Fra Beato Angelico and Caravaggio, Guercino and Guido Reni, Salvator Rosa, Peter Paul Rubens and Anton van Dyck.

The National Gallery of Rome, located in Palazzo Barberini, is probably the youngest art collection in Rome. There are a large number of first-class works collected here. Italian masters XVI-XIX centuries. The Roman Gallery is housed in two buildings, one of which is the Palazzo Barberini.

Palazzo Barberini was conceived as a royal residence, since it was assumed that after 1625 the family of Pope Urban VIII (Barberini) would be housed there. The building was erected on the territory of the former vineyard of the Sforza family - there was once a small palace (palazzetto), which in turn was built on the site of ancient buildings, in particular the temple of Flora. The new palace, erected with true baroque splendor, was to glorify the Barberini family, and, it must be admitted, this plan was carried out with brilliance.

Initially, the work was led by Carlo Maderno, who was replaced by Francesco Borromini, but he also had to give way to Gianlorenzo Bernini, who completed the construction in 1634 with the participation of Pietro da Cortona.

The huge building included main building and two side wings, repeating the outlines of the Quirinal hill; Behind the palazzo is a vast park. Cardinal Francesco Barberini did everything to ensure that the palace was completed on time. Not the last role in this was played by the financing of the construction by his uncle, Pope Urban VIII, who shamelessly raised taxes from his subjects in order to find the required funds, for which the people nicknamed him “dad-duty”.

Construction proceeded rapidly. First, the architectural ideas of Borromini took shape, according to the project of which the windows, the spiral staircase and the rear facade were created. Then, according to the project of Bernini, a large staircase was erected in the left wing, enclosed in a square well. Bernini designed the main façade overlooking Via delle Quattro Fontane. Now on this side is the main entrance and the iron fence of the 19th century (architect Francesco Azzurri) with eight pillars decorated with images of Atlanteans.

On the current Via San Nicola da Tolentino, opposite the portal designed by Pietro da Cortona, stables were built, and on the side of the modern Via Bernini, a theater was erected with the Manege Court: from here a passage arranged under the palazzo began, leading to the garden behind it.

All these buildings, located on the left side of the modern Piazza Barberini, no longer exist: they were demolished when laying the Via Barberini.

This residence of the Barberini family, famous for patronage, became a place of attraction for the best cultural forces of the 17th century. Among those who visited the salon were the poets Gabriello Chiabrera, Giovanni Ciampoli, the author of religious poems, and Francesco Bracciolini, who gained fame with the poem "The Wrath of the Gods". Among the regulars of the palace were scientists, historians and, of course, Lorenzo Bernini, who, in addition to all other talents, also showed himself as a theater artist. Performances at the Barberini Theater began on February 23, 1634 with the melodrama Saint Alexis to the music of Giulio Rospigliosi. Musical comedies were staged in the palace, dance holidays during carnival and wedding celebrations, as happened in 1656 when Maffeo Barberini married Olimpia Giustiniani.

Although patronage was the pride of the Barberini, they mainly used artists to glorify themselves. This was especially vividly embodied in the design of the palace, in particular its left wing, the halls of which were painted (1633-1639) with magnificent frescoes by Pietro da Cortona.

Among them stands out the giant plafond of the central salon on the second floor - “The Triumph of Divine Providence”, the baroque apotheosis of the Barberini family, as indicated by the papal tiara and the keys of Urban VIII depicted on the fresco, as well as the heraldic bees of the Barberini. Another hall is adorned with Andrea Sacchi's sumptuous plafond "The Triumph of Divine Wisdom": this fresco not only glorifies Barberini, but is also intended to testify to the triumph of the heliocentric theory, about which Urban VIII had frequent conversations with Galileo Galilei.

The right wing of the palace is no less luxuriously finished, as evidenced by the Hall of Marbles, or the Hall of Statues, in which magnificent examples of classical sculpture, which the Barberini collected, were exhibited. This hall was especially famous, demonstrating the undeniable superiority of the Barberini over the rest of the Roman patrician. Not much has survived from the collection, for example, "Velata" by Antonio Corradini. The hall was used for banquets, and also, until the theater was built, for theatrical performances: it accommodated up to 200 spectators.

From 1627 to 1683, a tapestry workshop operated in the palace. From its walls came the so-called Flemish fabrics that adorned the Baroque halls: they were made under the guidance of the artist Jacopo della Riviera, whom Francesco Barberini ordered from Flanders, according to the drawings and cardboards of Pietro da Cortona, which made it possible to achieve artistic perfection.

The last floor of the palace housed the library of Cardinal Francesco, numbering 60,000 volumes and 10,000 manuscripts. This library, one of the outstanding monuments culture XVII century, also speaks of the intellectual demands of its owner. True, another papal nephew, Cardinal Antonio, who was distinguished by a restless and ambitious disposition, lived in the same palace. He was not inferior to another papal nephew, Taddeo, brother Francesco and Antonio, who had the rank of general of the papal army. He received the title of Prince of Palestrina and was appointed prefect of Rome. Taddeo dishonored himself by embezzling part of the taxes collected from the Romans. By the way, Taddeo, who was chosen to continue the dynasty, was the heir to the family property. However, in 1645, the brothers had to endure many anxious moments when, after the death of Urban VIII, Pope Innocent X appointed a commission to investigate the activities of the Barberini, during which all their abuses were revealed. For several years, the brothers hid in France while their Roman palace was confiscated. Soon the storm subsided, and, relying on the intercession of Cardinal Mazarin, they returned to Rome and received back their fortune, including the palazzo.

The Barberini dynasty maintained the purity of blood until 1728, when the last of the family, Cornelia Costanza, married Giulio Cesare Colonna Sharra, which marked the beginning of the Barberini-Colonna branch. In 1893, with the marriage of the last representative of this branch, Maria, to Luigi Sacchetti, a new branch arose - Sacchetti-Barberini-Colonna.

The history of the palace reflected all the vicissitudes of the fate of the family that owned it, which more than once resorted to selling their artistic treasures in order to find funds for the maintenance of a luxurious residence. Mention should be made of the work on the improvement of the garden, during which, according to the project of Giovanni Mazzoni, who since 1867 served as the gardener of the Barberini, a greenhouse and a fish garden were created. In the same period, Francesco Azzurri arranged a fountain in the garden opposite the palace on the side of Via delle Quattro Fontane. The fountain, erected over an octagonal pool and decorated with four mascarons and three bees, is undoubtedly the last luxury that the Barberini allowed themselves. In 1900, the library of Cardinal Francesco, as well as the furniture created by Bernini, were sold to the Vatican, and the floor where the library was located was occupied by the Italian Institute of Numismatics. The part of the park that stretched towards Via Venti Settembre was divided into plots and sold. Once upon a time there was a playground for playing bracchale; subsequently, ministerial buildings rose in its place, and the country color of this once aristocratic quarter with its wonderful villas disappeared forever.

The crisis that befell them forced them to abandon the palace of the Barberini heirs. In 1935, the shipping company Finmare acquired the old wing of the palace, which was then completely rebuilt. In 1949, the state bought the entire complex, and three years later the Barberini sold off all their paintings and various works art. The left wing houses the National Gallery of Ancient Art, which preserves its splendid interiors; the right one was handed over to the armed forces, who stationed the Officers' Assembly here, which can hardly be considered a good decision. The guarantee of the preservation of the architectural and artistic treasures of the palace can only be its complete transformation into a museum complex. Only then will the palace be able to regain its former splendor.

1.2 Palazzo Corsini

The art collections of the gallery arose from the merger of several large private collections. It was based on the collection of Cardinal Nero Corsini, whose palace is the second part of the Roman National Gallery. The cardinal bought this palace in 1737. For the decoration of its halls and rooms, the most the best works fine and applied arts, and by 1740 the Corsini collection consisted of 600 canvases. A century and a half later, Princes Tommaso and Andrea Corsini donated the collection to the Italian state. Later, it was replenished with the collection of the Duke G. Torlonia, 187 paintings from the Galleria del Monte di Pieta also arrived here. Thus, several large collections gathered in the Palazzo Corsini, so the question arose of combining them into one collection. So in 1895 the National Gallery of Ancient Art was formed. Later it became part of the National Roman Gallery.

The Palazzo Barberini now houses a collection of paintings up to the 17th century, while the Palazzo Corsini exhibits later paintings.

The first mention of the Corsini family dates back to the beginning of the XIV century. IN different times she was a family of great merchants, politicians, bankers, doing business together with the Medici (Giovanni Medici even lived for some time in the Corsini Palace). Always distinguished by deep religious convictions, the Corsini gave the world Saint Andrea Corsini (1301-1374) and Pope Clement XII (in 1730 Lorenzo Corsini became him). The construction of the palace in 1656 began Bartolomeo Corsini. Construction lasted until 1737, but the planned project was never fully implemented - the asymmetry of the facade is clearly visible from the opposite bank of the Arno River. The palace was built in the Baroque style, character traits which can be seen both in the exterior (statues and terracotta vases decorating the facade) and in the interior (for example, the decor of the Throne Room). For Florence, the Corsini Palace was an architectural discovery. Risalits, central terrace, windows with elliptical arches, attics with balustrades decorated with vases and statues - all these were new and unusual elements for this city of that era. There are more than three thousand frescoes in the palace. Made between 1692 and 1700, they reflect one of the brightest periods in Florentine painting. The Corsini Palace is the property of the descendants of the family - Miari Fulchis and Sanmignatelli. Now Countess Livia Sanmignatelli Branca lives here, although not permanently.

The creators of the Palazzo Corsini were Bartolomeo Corsini (1622-1685), the son of Filippo and Maria Magdalena Macchiavelli, and Filippo, the son of Bartolomeo (1647-1705), who expanded the Palace in that part of it that stretches towards the bridge of Santa Trinita. The construction of the Palace was carried out continuously for 50 years. The decoration of the Palace was carried out in the period from 1692 to 1700 and appears to this day in all its original glory, being an example of an exceptionally happy and fruitful period of Florentine painting.

Among the artists invited by Corsini to decorate the mezzanine apartments, where the Aurora Gallery, the Hall, the Ballroom and a number of other important rooms are located, the names of Anton Domenico Gabbiani, Alessandro Gherardini, Pierre Dandini occupy a special place.

2. Exposition of the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Rome

Rome is called ancient and the eternal city. Its thousand-year-old monuments are rightly considered the property of all mankind. To see them, millions of people from all over the world come to Rome every year. And also in order to see the famous works of art collected in its richest museums. One of them is the Roman National Gallery.

It is housed in two buildings, one of which is the Palazzo Barberini. In 1625, Pope Urban VIII (from the Barberini family) bought a palace from Duke Sforza for his nephews, and the reconstruction of this palace immediately began. The old plan of the building was preserved, and for the new construction, stones and marble from the destroyed Colosseum were used.

The famous artist Pietro da Cortona took a great part in the interior decoration of the palace. Until now, in the Barberini Palace, his famous painting of the plafond of the main hall has been preserved, where Christian and mythological allegories are intertwined in complex, full of unbridled fantasy paintings. The ceilings of other halls of the palace were also covered with paintings, and their walls were decorated with tapestries.

These tapestries were produced by a factory located in a neighboring building and was founded in 1635 by one of the pope's nephews, Cardinal Francesco Barberini. He also collected the richest library, in which, among priceless manuscripts and manuscripts, equally priceless letters of the most prominent people of that time and previous eras were kept. In 1902, this library was transferred to the Vatican, and the palace itself was acquired by the Italian state in 1930. Soon, its second floor with the famous paintings by Pietro da Cortona was given over to the National Gallery.

Art collections of the Gallery arose from the merger of several large private collections, and its foundation was laid back in the 18th century by Cardinal Nero Corsini, whose ancient palace is the second part of the Roman National Gallery. The cardinal bought his palace in 1737 and immediately ordered the famous architect Ferdinando Fuga to remake it. For the decoration of the halls and rooms of the new palace, on the orders of the cardinal, the best works of fine and applied art were acquired, and by 1740 the Corsini collection consisted of 600 paintings.

Almost a century and a half later, the princes Tommaso and Andrea Corsini sold their palace to the state, and presented a valuable collection of paintings to it. The palace housed the Accademia dei Lincea and a collection of paintings and sculptures. Then this collection was replenished with the collection of Duke G. Torlonia, and then 187 paintings from the Galleria del Monte di Pieta also arrived here. This is how several large collections gathered in the Palazzo Corsini, so the question immediately arose of combining them into one collection. And in 1895, the National Gallery of Ancient Art was formed, which immediately began to replenish through purchases and gifts from individuals.

The Palazzo Barberini now houses a collection of paintings up to the 17th century, while the Palazzo Corsini exhibits later paintings. Despite the fact that great alterations have been made to the Palazzo Corsini, many of the paintings are very difficult to see, distinguish and admire because they are located at an almost dizzying height. In the hall, dedicated to creativity artists of the Caravaggio school, the paintings almost touch the ceiling. Such placement makes it very difficult for visitors to see the canvases under the angle of illumination that the artists dreamed of when creating their works.

The National Gallery reveals to visitors the greatest treasures of world art. And one of those masterpieces is famous painting Titian's "Venus and Adonis" (APPENDIX 1), written in 1554 by order of King Charles V. This picture was such a stunning success that the artist repeated this story with slight variations several times. In the Roman National Gallery, one of these options is stored.

Titian took the plot for the painting from ancient mythology. Turning to the theme of the love of Venus and Adonis, Titian develops this motif in his own way, introduces a dramatic motif of experience into the canvas, which was typical of the late works of the great master. Venus is depicted at the moment when she is trying to keep Adonis in her arms, striving for the call of a hunting horn. From the sudden movement of the goddess, a golden vessel overturned, a string of precious pearls broke out of her hair.

The general mood of the picture is disturbing, and the agitated landscape with dark trees, an indistinct outline of hills, a sky covered with heavy clouds, through which uneven sunlight barely streams, is in tune with it.

The painting comes from the collection of the Swedish Queen Christina. After her death in 1689, she visited several collections, and then was acquired by the Duke of Torlonia and donated by him to the state.

Tintoretto is represented in the National Gallery by the painting "Christ and the Sinner" (APPENDIX 2), imbued with a state of disturbing tension. It depicts the moment when Christ, in response to the accusation of a woman in the fall, offers to throw a stone at her.

Depicting the gospel story, Tintoretto is interested not so much in the event itself, but in the state of the human crowd that swept over it after the words of Jesus Christ. Anxiety that grips people fills nature. Despite the fact that the action takes place under a giant portico, the viewer gets the impression that it takes place in an endless space. This is facilitated by the sea visible in the expansion of giant arches, merging with the expanse of the sky, through which lead clouds float. To increase expression, Tintoretto uses the lengthening technique human figures characteristic of Mannerism.

El Greco uses the same technique on his canvases. A Greek by origin, he was born in Crete and here, apparently, he studied with local icon painters. After 1560, he left for Venice, and then moved to Spain. Here he settled first at the court of King Philip II, but not recognized by the king and his court, moved to Toledo, the old capital of Spain.

At the end of 1596, El Greco received an order for three large canvases for the altar of the School of shod Augustinians Dona Maria of Aragon in Madrid - the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Shepherds and the Baptism of Christ. Subsequently, all three paintings were scattered around different museums, and two of them are now in the Roman National Gallery - "The Adoration of the Shepherds" and "The Baptism of Christ" (APPENDIX 3, APPENDIX 4). According to the assumptions of some art historians, they are a repetition of altar paintings or sketches for them.

The action of the gospel plot of the painting “The Adoration of the Shepherds” takes place against the backdrop of an area with fantastic ruins. The vaults of the destroyed building, as if swayed by the wind, shot up, and a dark sky with flashes of lightning appeared in the opening of the ruins. The action itself - the worship of the shepherds to the infant Christ - takes place on foreground paintings.

El Greco attaches the main importance to color. The combination of the Madonna's bright pink dress with the lemon-yellow shirt of the shepherd standing next to him, the ultramarine angel's clothes and the cold color of the green dress of the other shepherd creates an unusual range of color shades. The colors seem to fade away, then again flare up with bright light and reach the greatest intensity of luminescence in the sheets on which the divine baby lies, and which radiate a silvery glow around him.

El Greco resorts here to his favorite technique of combining figures of different scales. The entire figurative structure of the picture, with a pronounced, sharp deformation of human figures and an unusual richness of bright, as if luminous colors, reaches its ultimate expressiveness on the canvas.

Conclusion

national gallery exposition palazzo

The National Gallery of Ancient Art (Galleria Nazionale d "Arte Antica) is an art gallery in Rome, one of the youngest in Italy.

Takes two historical buildings- Palazzo Barberini and Palazzo Corsini. The Palazzo Barberini was built by Carlo Maderno in the first half of the 17th century, the Palazzo Corsini is a 15th-century building, rebuilt 250 years later in the late Baroque style.

The gallery displays paintings by Caravaggio ("Judith and Holofernes"), Holbein, Raphael ("Fornarina"), Poussin, Tintoretto, Titian, Guido Reni, Rubens, Murillo and other artists, as well as furniture, majolica and porcelain.

The palazzo was built in the first half of the 17th century. in the mannerist style. Mannerism used the techniques of Renaissance painting, but without its humanistic idea. The world appears unstable, shaky, in a state of decay. The images of mannerism are full of anxiety, restlessness, tension, the basis is not real world, A creative imagination; the means of performance is the "beautiful manner" as the sum of certain techniques. Among them are the arbitrary elongation of the figures, the complex serpentine rhythm, the unreality of fantastic space and light, and sometimes cold piercing colors. Gradually, the paintings become like decorative panels designed to decorate walls.

The sculpture combines whimsical forms with smoothness, sophistication and elegance. First, the construction was carried out by Maderno, then by Borromini and completed by Bernini. In the palazzo, it is worth seeing the ceiling fresco by Pietro da Cortona and the staircase in the original form of Borromini. The gallery presents paintings by Caravaggio (Judith and Holofernes), Hans Holbein, Raphael (Fornarin), Poussin, Tintoretto, Titian and other artists of the 12th-18th centuries, as well as furniture, majolica and porcelain.

Literature

1.A. Kara-Murza "Famous Russians about Venice", Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 2001 - 383 p.; "Famous Russians about Florence", Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 2001 - 352 pages; "Famous Russians about Rome", Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 2001 - 472 pages; "Famous Russians about Naples", Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria, 2003 - 512 p.

2.Kuznetsov B.G. Ideas and images of the Renaissance, Moscow: Nauka, 1985. - 280 p.

.Rutenburg V.I. Titans of the Renaissance, Leningrad, 1976. - 144 p.

.© 1997-2012 Online encyclopedia "Krugosvet"

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Palazzo Barberini(Italian: Palazzo Barberini) is a historical palace, the family residence of the influential Barberini family. Today, the palace houses an art gallery, which exhibits paintings by such famous masters of painting as El Greco, Raphael, Caravaggio, Titian, Holbein, Reni and many others. Administratively, the gallery in Palazzo Barberini is part of the National Gallery of Ancient Art.

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History of the Barberini family

In the 11th century, the Barberini family, very rich and influential, settled in Florence. One of the representatives of this family - Rafael Barberini - in 1564 visited Moscow as a private visit with a letter of recommendation to Ivan the Terrible from Queen Elizabeth of England, with a proposal to assist in establishing commercial ties. At the request of Cardinal Amelio and Count Nogarola, Rafael Barberini gave a detailed description of everything he saw in Moscow on the pages of his manuscript “Report on Muscovy by the author Rafael Barberini to Count Nogarola, Antwerp, October 16, 1565”, which is still kept in the Barberini library.

Pope Urban VIII

The most significant contribution to the exaltation of the family was made by Maffeo Barberini, Pope under the name Urban VIII. His nephews Francesco and Antonio became cardinals, and another - Taddeo - received the title of Prince of Palestrina, the appointment of a general of the papal army and the post of prefect of Rome. However, in 1645, after the death of Urban VIII, the family experienced hard times. New Pope Innocent X, having irrefutable evidence, accused the representatives of the Barberini family of numerous abuses and frauds with in cash received from the collection of taxes. For some time, the Barberini had to hide in France, until the intercession of Cardinal Mazarin helped them return to Rome, where they received back all their confiscated property. In the middle of the 18th century, the male line of the Barberini family ceased. The last of the once powerful family, Princess Cornelia Barberini (1716-1797), married Giulio Cesare Colonna, which marked the beginning of the Barberini-Colonna branch.

History of Palazzo Barberini

In 1625, Pope Urban VIII purchased a plot of land on the Quirinal hill, and planned to build his residence there. Palazzo Barberini was built on the site of a former mansion and vineyards of the Sforzo family. In ancient times, ancient temples were also located here, in particular the temple of Flora.

The construction of the palazzo has begun in 1627 under the guidance of the architect Carlo Modern, who, inspired by the model of the Farnese Palace, initially designed a quadrangular, traditional building in the spirit of the Renaissance. However, in final version, agreed with the pontiff, he approved the project of a building of complex construction, with wings on both sides that repeat the outlines of the Quirinale hill. In 1629, after the death Carlo Moderna the architect began to build the palazzo Giovanni Bernini with the participation of Pietro da Cortona. The grandson of Carlo, the young Francesco Borromini, who, in addition to one spiral staircase, designed the rear facade of the building and its windows. Together, the construction of the pompous palazzo was already completed. in 1633.

Pontiff Urban VIII was brought up in the spirit of humanistic ideas that reigned in art at that time. This was manifested in his philanthropic activities, which he continued especially generously during his stay on the papal throne (1623-1644). At this time, the Barberini residence became a kind of salon where famous and talented poets, scientists, painters and sculptors.

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For several years, a workshop existed within the walls of the palazzo, where they made tapestries for the palace. Sketches of fabric designs were personally developed by Pietro da Cortona, and the Flemish masters were led by the artist Jacopo della Riviera. The last floor of the building was given over to the extensive library of Francesco Barberini, where there were about 60,000 printed volumes and 10,000 manuscripts.

The main façade overlooking the street of the Four Fountains (Via delle Quattro Fontane) was designed by Bernini; today, on this side, there is a magnificent front gate and a 19th-century fence with eight pillars decorated with images of Atlanteans, the work of the architect Francesco Azzurri.

Inside the palazzo you can see two beautiful spiral staircases by Bernini and Borromini, respectively. Initially, there were several more buildings on the territory of the palazzo that have not survived to our time (large stables, a theater and an arena courtyard were demolished during the construction of Barberini Street).

The history of the palace is closely connected with the history of the Barberini family. In difficult times, in order to adequately maintain the palazzo, many of its treasures were sold. For example, in 1900 Cardinal Francesco's library, as well as Bernini's antique furniture, were bought by the Vatican. Subsequently, the park territory of the palazzo was divided into plots and sold for the construction of ministerial buildings. Starting in 1949, the Barberini Palace and all furnishings and works of art belonging to it were completely sold to the state. As a result, a part of the National Gallery of Ancient Art was placed in the left wing of the building, and the right wing was given to armed forces, who placed the Officers' Assembly here, which can hardly be considered a good solution for a landmark of high historical value.

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On any tourist trip, especially to Italy, there comes a moment when you need to touch high art, not only . Here is our selection of ten best museums and galleries of Rome.

(Musei Capitolini) are located in the three Capitoline Palaces - the Senators, the Conservators and the Palazzo Nuovo. Start museum collection laid down by Pope Sixtus IV, who in 1417 presented the Roman people with antique bronze statues. Nowadays, a rich collection of antique exhibits is stored in the Palazzo Conservatori, the most valuable of which is the original. The new palace boasts unique mosaics from the villa of Emperor Hadrian.


The National Gallery of Ancient Art (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica) is located in the Barberini and Corsini palaces. The first contains such masterpieces as Raphael's "Fornarina" and "Judith and Holofernes" works, as well as many paintings by Titian and El Greco. In the second - the same Caravaggio, Rubens and Brueghel.

On the territory of Villa Giulia there is a museum of Etruscan art with interesting exhibits of the material culture of a lost civilization. The exposition dedicated to the funeral cult of the Etruscans is especially large. The building itself was previously the summer residence of the popes.

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Gallery Doria Pamphilj (Galleria Doria Pamphilj) is a private gallery with a rich collection of art objects. The best way presented Italian painting XVII century- paintings , . Also impressive is the collection of marble reliefs by Duquesnoy.

In the private collection of the Spada Gallery (Palazzo e Galleria Spada), belonging to XVII century, includes works by Titian, Guido Reni, Rubens and other prominent masters of the Renaissance. An interesting attraction of the palace is Perspective, which is a gradually narrowing corridor. The sixty-centimeter figure of a rider, placed at the narrow end of the corridor, looks like it reaches an average human height!

Rome knows no shortage of samples of ancient art. But it's time to somehow introduce the modern! For this purpose, next to the famous was built showroom, where in 1915 they opened (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderno). Italian futurists and realists exhibited here (Renato Guttuso), sculpture 19th century represented by the works of Canova and Jimenez. In the middle of the 20th century, the gallery was replenished with works foreign artists: Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Picasso.


Galleria Comunale d'Arte Moderno) is located in the building of the brewery, the official opening took place in 2002. The works of the most famous masters of the Italian art scene are exhibited here. The museum has a library, a bookstore, and a multi-level terrace with an outdoor rooftop cafe.

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One of the most visited and attractions in Rome is the National Gallery of Ancient Art. Here are collected the richest collections of works of art. The gallery occupies the Barberini Palace, located on the square of the same name, and the Corsini Palace, which is located on the opposite bank of the Tiber River, which crosses Rome.
Here you can get acquainted with the works of Filippo Lippi, who is the representative Italian painting 15th century, as well as with the works of Raphael, Tintoretto, Titian, Bronzino, Andrea del Sarto and others Italian artists both famous and unknown.

History of occurrence

The Barberini Palace, in which part of the Gallery is located, was built at the beginning of the 17th century (1633). More precisely, it was rebuilt from the Palace, bought by Barberini from the Duke of Sforza.
In 1930, the building of the Barberini Palace passed to the state, which opened the National Gallery on its second floor.
The second palace, which is the seat of the Gallery, is the Corsini Palace. It was built in the 15th century and belonged to Cardinal Riario. The building was rebuilt in the 18th century. The exposition presented here is also called the Corsini Gallery in a different way. The Palace itself was built at the beginning of the 14th century (1519).
The basis of the collection of the National Gallery of Ancient Art was a lot of works of artists, which consisted of private collections. They were brought together by Cardinal Nero Corsini. He decorated with them the palace bought at the beginning of the 18th century, named after him. Corsini's descendants, the princes Andrea and Tommaso, transferred the Corsini palace to the possession of the state, along with a collection of works of art decorating it.
The official year of formation of the National Gallery of Ancient Art is 1895, when it combined the collections collected in both Palaces.

Architecture

The Barberini Palace is the creation of the architect Carlo Maderno and his nephew Francesco Borromini, as well as the great Italian sculptor and artist Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini.
It is made in the Baroque style. The exposition of its first floor consists of a large collection of paintings of the 13th-14th centuries, the authors of which are Titian, El Greco and others.
The ceiling and walls of the Grand Salon of the Barberini Palace, where part of the exposition of the National Gallery of Ancient Art is located, were painted by Pietro da Cortona. Here is his work of art called "Allegory of Divine Providence", made in the early 17th century.
In this part of the Gallery you can see the "cochlear" staircase, which was created by Borromini, as well as part of the Palestine mosaic, whose age is dated, by some scientists, to the first century BC.
The Corsini Palace is made in the neoclassical style. It is decorated with balustrades and pilasters, as well as sculptures and main staircase, which are the works of the architect Ferdinando Fuga.

Note to the tourist

You can visit the National Gallery of Ancient Art daily from 08:30 to 19:30. Monday is considered a day off.
You can get here by buses No. 36, No. 38, No. 40, No. 90, No. 105 and others, as well as metro lines "A" and "B".

Neighborhood

Not far from the Barberini Palace, which houses part of the National Gallery of Ancient Art, there is another National Gallery, which contains objects of ancient art. It was discovered by Carlo Maderno at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
In the same area is the church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, which is a striking architectural monument.

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