The Galleria Borghese, in Rome, brings together six paintings by Caravaggio, the largest concentration of his work in a single museum in the world, alongside Bernini's three large sculptural groups.
The six works
The collection includes the Boy with Basket of Fruit, a portrait of Caravaggio's early years in Rome; Little Sick Bacchus, the self-portrait made during convalescence; Saint Jerome Writing; Saint John the Baptist; the Madonna dei Palafrenieri, which caused controversy for representing the Virgin as an ordinary Roman woman, barefoot, stepping on the serpent of sin; and David with the Head of Goliath, the latest and most discussed of the six.
The role of Cardinal Scipione Borghese
This concentration is no coincidence: Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, was one of Caravaggio's main protectors and collectors, and received directly from the painter the painting David with the Head of Goliath, sent as a request for clemency while Caravaggio was on the run for murder.
A visit that spans decades of career
Seeing the six works together is to follow Caravaggio's evolution, from the young man who portrayed the sensual vitality of a boy with fruit to the mature man who portrayed himself as the decapitated giant, asking for forgiveness through his own image.
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See recommended readingsFrequently asked questions
How many works by Caravaggio are there in the Galleria Borghese?
Six. They are the Boy with the Basket of Fruits, Little Sick Bacchus, Saint Jerome Writing, Saint John the Baptist, David with the Head of Goliath and Madonna dei Palafrenieri, the largest concentration of works by Caravaggio in a single museum.
Why are so many of Caravaggio's works in the Galleria Borghese?
Because Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, was one of Caravaggio's great collectors and protectors, receiving directly from the painter the painting David with the Head of Goliath, sent as a request for clemency.
What is Caravaggio's most famous work in the Galleria Borghese?
David with the Head of Goliath is usually the most discussed, as it is a self-portrait of Caravaggio himself in the role of the decapitated giant, painted while he was on the run.
Continue on the Caravaggio and Bernini clusters: Who was Caravaggio? · David with the Head of Goliath, by Caravaggio · Little Sick Bacchus, by Caravaggio
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