The Baroque Century in Cuneo. Bernini, Gentileschi, Rubens.
English translation of the exhibition catalogue published by Allemandi
Cuneo, Complesso Monumentale di San Francesco, 20 November 2026 – 29 March 2027
The Baroque Century in Cuneo. Bernini, Gentileschi, Rubens.
From 20 November 2026 to 29 March 2027, the exhibition The Baroque Century in Cuneo brings together 25 works at the San Francesco Monumental Complex. The exhibition explores how Rome became the centre of the European Baroque through works by Bernini, Gentileschi, Rubens and other seventeenth-century masters. Admission is free and no booking is required.
The works on display come from the National Galleries of Ancient Art in Rome, based at Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Corsini. The exhibition is curated by Maurizia Cicconi and Alessandro Cosma. It marks a new chapter in the collaboration between Fondazione CRC and Intesa Sanpaolo, which has been bringing exhibitions devoted to major figures in art history to Cuneo since 2022.
How Rome Became the Capital of the Baroque
At the heart of the exhibition is Maffeo Barberini, who was elected pope in 1623, taking the name Urban VIII. A passionate patron of literature and the arts, during his pontificate he commissioned major works from the leading artists of his time and made art an instrument of his political agenda.<br/>
Two of the best-known examples of the Roman Baroque date from this period: Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s baldachin in St Peter’s Basilica and Pietro da Cortona’s decorations for Palazzo Barberini. Within just a few decades, Rome had become a meeting place for artists from diverse backgrounds, and the style promoted by the papal court had spread far beyond the city.
Alongside works by Bernini, Gentileschi and Rubens, the exhibition features paintings by Guercino, Guido Reni, Annibale Carracci and Domenichino. The exhibition traces the development of the Baroque from the early decades of the seventeenth century, through the rise of the Barberini style, to its legacy under the pontificate of Alexander VII Chigi.