Caravaggio’s Hidden Masterpiece On Public Display For The First Time

A rare Baroque portrait by Caravaggio, that has been privately held for more than 60 years, was unveiled at a Rome museum for the first time ever.

Ancient Portrait Exposed to Public

The portrait painting was by Caravaggio, born Michelangelo Merisi, and discovered more than six decades ago as part of a private collection. It is being publicly shown for the first time at the National Galleries of Ancient Art in Rome this week. The work is of Monsignor Maffeo Barberini, who later became Pope Urban VIII—an important patron of the arts and a prominent figure in 17th-century Rome.

“We are so happy to finally let the world behold this masterpiece after all these years,” enthused Thomas Clement Salomon, Director of the National Galleries of Ancient Art. “Since its discovery, this painting has never been shown in a museum or lent for an exhibition, so it is a very unique moment both for art lovers and historians.”

A Glimpse into Caravaggio’s Genius

Caravaggio, known for his dramatic use of light and shadow (chiaroscuro), created paintings that captured the vibrancy of life. The portrait of Barberini was completed around the turn of the 17th century and is believed to have been painted in the years before Barberini became pope in 1623. In the portrait, Barberini is depicted seated, gesturing with his right hand, which gives the impression of someone in a position of power and authority.

The painting was officially attributed to Caravaggio in 1963 and since then, specialists of art have studied it. In the words of Paola Nicita, curator of this exhibition, only a few specialists have had a chance to see it up close; it truly is a different experience to see it in person. Nothing can convey in a photo the quality and almost magnetic power of the work.

A Rare and Priceless Artwork

This portrait, out of all the few and surviving pieces by Caravaggio in which he depicts a person within a seated portrait format, is really one of a kind. Many works from Caravaggio’s hands have been lost or gone with the years, making this piece an even rarer treasure for the world of art.

The picture will run in the museum from November 23, 2024, to February 23, 2025. The exhibition will certainly draw much attention; the visitors might come from different parts of the globe who want to witness the energetic nature of art in the personality of Caravaggio himself.

Heritage of Barberini and Ties with the Museum

The museum in which the picture is located is, Palazzo Barberini, historically connected to its topic, Pope Urban VIII. The building was constructed for him by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and architect Carlo Maderno during his papacy. It was still in Barberini hands when the painting was exposed, except after World War II. This relationship deepens the significance of exhibition in the painting that, in one way, retrieves the patronage of Pope Urban VIII and that of the artist’s legacy.

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