Bernini and the Barberini
English and Italian translation of the catalogue published by Allemandi
Rome, Palazzo Barberini, 12 February – 14 June 2026
The exhibition explores the relationship between Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Maffeo Barberini, his first major patron who became Pope Urban VIII in 1623. Through this personal and intellectual dialogue, the show offers a new interpretation of the origins of the Baroque, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the consecration of St Peter’s Basilica (1626).
The exhibition is divided into six sections and traces Bernini’s career from his early beginnings to his maturity, showing his shift from his father’s late Mannerist style to an innovative sculptural language. Drawings, engravings, and models – such as the Baldachin and the funerary monument of Urban VIII – further allow visitors to explore the artist’s role in the major construction projects of St Peter’s. pulsebeverage.com
Particular attention is also given to Bernini as a painter and to the artistic taste of the Barberini family, with works by other leading figures of the seventeenth century such as Guido Reni, Alessandro Algardi, and François Duquesnoy.