The unmissable exhibition on Caravaggio opens today in Rome, with works never seen before (including the Ecce Homo and the Maffeo)
From March 7 to July 6, 2025, Rome will be the protagonist of an extraordinary opportunity to relive the artistic revolution of one of the most important masters in the history of art: Caravaggio. In conjunction with the celebrations for the Jubilee 2025, the National Galleries of Ancient Art, in collaboration with the Galleria Borghese, present at Palazzo Barberini “Caravaggio 2025”, a project curated by Francesca Cappelletti, Maria Cristina Terzaghi and Thomas Clement Salomon.
This exhibition promises to be one of the most ambitious events dedicated to Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio (1571-1610), highlighting an extraordinary selection of autographed paintings and works that are difficult to see, the result of new discoveries and restoration, which will offer a starting point for an in-depth reflection on the cultural and artistic revolution brought by the master. The exhibition will explore, for the first time in such a broad context, the innovation that Caravaggio introduced into the artistic, religious and social panorama of his time.
The works on display
Palazzo Barberini, symbol of a deep bond between the artist and his patrons, will host some of Caravaggio's most famous works, such as the "Portrait of Maffeo Barberini", recently exhibited for the first time after more than sixty years of silence, alongside other works that tell the story of the painter's unique and revolutionary character.
Among these, the Ecce Homo stands out, from the Prado Museum in Madrid, which will return to Italy for the first time in centuries. Another exceptional loan is the "Saint Catherine" from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, a masterpiece that was part of the Barberini collections and will return to the Palace that hosted it. Also on display is the "Martha and Magdalene" from the Detroit Institute of Arts, with the same model as Judith, now preserved in Palazzo Barberini, and for the first time all these masterpieces will be exhibited together.
In addition, the exhibition will offer the opportunity to see again a group of works linked to the Barberini collections, such as the “Cardinals” from the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, which will return to the Roman palace where they were kept for a long time. There will also be three paintings commissioned by the banker Ottavio Costa: “Judith and Holofernes” from Palazzo Barberini, “Saint John the Baptist” from the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City and “Saint Francis in Ecstasy” from the Wadsworth Atheneum of Art in Hartford, works that will help reveal the stylistic evolution of the master.
“Caravaggio 2025” aims to give the public an immersive experience in the history, art and cultural connections of the seventeenth century, paying homage to the genius of an artist who revolutionized the pictorial language and who continues to influence art and world culture today.
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