The Barberini Palace collection ✎

I managed to visit the Palazzo Barberini in Rome. It is an absolute must for art lovers with a special focus on the Renaissance and Baroque.

I couldn’t get tickets to the Caravaggio exhibition which had sold out months in advance. But, still pleased to see Raphael, Titian, Artemisia Gentileschi ... I was pleased to come across Giovanni Lanfranco and Mattia Preti.

It was also a quiet refuge from the hussle-and-bussle of Rome.

I have uploaded a selection on the most interesting paintings/artists.

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The Annunciation by Fra Filippo Lippi

I absolutely love Fra Filippo Lippi.

Probably my favourite of the Italian early Renaissance.

I think he manages wonderfully infuse tenderness and humanism (with a certain wistfulness) whilst also preserves the elegance and dignity of a subject in the devotional art. Here, the Madonna is regal.

His use of perspective is innovative for its time. It’s as if we’re walking into a humble devotional abode.

The detailed decorative style is striking.

The curly hair, the laurel headpiece, the crinkles in the arm’s garment.

The golds in the robes, the gradations of the peacock-like angel wings,

The ornate/red bedspreads and so on ...

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The Tarquinia Madonna by Fra Filippo Lippi

Use of perspective & space to create an illusion of the Madonna

holding up her baby on her rounded throne.

Sadness. But sweetness in caressing his mother’s neck, consoling?

Chubby christ?

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Madonna and Child by Neri Di Bicci

A Florentine devotional painting of the 15th century.

Pomegranate motif. Gold background, halos.

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Nativity with Saints Lawrence and Andrew by Antoniazzo Romano

Never heard of this artist.

He was the leading figure of Roman art during the latter part of the 15th century.

Detailed depictions overlaid with iconography.

Reminds me a little of Botticelli’s “Mystical Nativity”.

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St Jerome in the Wilderness by Perugino

Perugino was Raphael’s teacher and his art can be seen in the Sistine Chapel.

Saint Jerome was a scholar who translated the bible into latin.

Beautiful painting depicting him as hermit.

Two angels in the background are the divine presence.

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Virgin and Child with St. Paul and St. Francis by Antoniazzo Romano

Same artist as above. Gold background and formal figures.

More naturalistic poses. St Francis also reminds me of Botticelli.

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St Philip Benizi by Perugino

Story to the painting = Saint in moment of contemplation.

Classic perugino with a dignified rendering. Sense of calm, and gentle colours.

Saint Benizi was a Florentine nobleman who became a servant of the Virgin Mary.

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Italian Baroque style table

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La Fornarina by Raphael

An exquisite & enigmatic painting by Raphael.

The soft warmth to her skin makes it feel intimate. A knowing and confident facial expression. She seems to be looking out of frame (and away from the viewer). Interesting headdress - symbolic or cultural? The sheer veil of modesty (covering her stomach) was a common theme denoting modesty and sensuality.

Giorgio Vasari talks about a mistress of Raphael’s whom he is reputed to have portrayed. Could this be his lover?

Art historians don’t know who she is. But she is an icon.

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Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam by Quentin Metsys

Flemish artist who spent most of his career in Antwerp.

I really love Quentin Metsys. One of the greats of the late 15th century.

This is the v. famous portrait of Erasmus - the scholar and philosopher.

He was a major advocate for religious tolerance, which wasn’t common (for his time).

If I’m not mistaken, he was extremely influential so he was regularly being painted.

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Pope Urban VIII by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

A striking painting by a sculpturer.

Pope Urban the 8th was a Barberini.

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Bust of Pope Urban VII by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Exquisite.

As you can see above, remarkable likeness.

Marble chiseled into embroidered linen

with the coat of arm of the St Peter’s.

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Portrait of Pope Leo X with two Cardinals by Giuliano Bugiardini

This is a copy of Raphael’s painting.

Pope Leo X succeeded Pope Julius II.

The crimson cardinal red is just so vivid and striking.

Every aspect of the Pope’s garments are intricately painted.

The book and paraphernalia meticulously painted.

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Portrait of Stefano Colonna by Bronzino

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Allegory of the Immaculate Conception by Giorgio Vasari

This was a captivating mannerist painting.

Looks like a tree; but it’s coiled serpent.

Adam and Eve at the base of the tree,

Virgin Mary with angels triumphing over the Satan.

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The Entombment of Christ by Jacopino Del Conte

Christ’s body being taken post-Crucifixion.

Clear mannerism with gaunt and rotting flesh.

Interesting artist. First time coming across him.

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David with the head of Goliath by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The youthful and powerful self-portrait of Bernini as David, the biblical hero.

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Judith with the head of Holofernes by Jan Metsys

The son of Flemish painter Quinten Matsys.

Judith as a seductress as well as warrior.

He was an artist in the School of Fontainebleau, with its elongated Mannerism and sensuality.

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Angel holding the lifeless body of Christ by Jacob de Backer

There is a touching solemnity to the angel’s mournful assistance.

A beautiful mannerist angelspietà with twisting and elongation.

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The Agony in the Garden by Jacobo Bassano

When Christ goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before his arrest.

The Venetian paints an angel consoling and comforting Christ.

The angel illuminates Christ in the night.

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Venus and Adonis by Titian

This painting shows the last desperate embrace between Venus (goddess of love) and her mortal lover (the hunter Adonis) before his tragic death.

A workshop version of the one at the Prado.

There is academic debate about these painting.

I don’t care for the chapeau much.

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Christ and the Adulteress by Tinteretto

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Penitent Magdalene by Charles Mellin

Beautiful painting.

Charles Mellin was a French painter in Rome during the Baroque.

Mary Magdalene in a state of penitence and contemplation.

Also, quite sensual and elegant, one has to say.

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St. Luke Healing the Dropsical Child by Giovanni Lanfranco

In this gallery, I came across a number of Giovanni Lanfranco’s paintings. I had never come across his works before.

He was a contemporary of Caravaggio and it’s obvious with the dramatic lighting. An intense atmosphere with a moving depiction of Saint Luke as both doctor and saint to the little boy.

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St Jerome sealing a letter by Guercino

Very intense & stillness to Guercino (aka: “squinter”).

He painted this in the early part of his career (the “vigorous manner”): intense chiaroscuro and profound emotion.

He painted this before his move to Rome to work for Pope Gregory 15th.

Objects on the table (= candlestick and book) are a nod to the Saint’s intellect of translating the bible into latin.

Feet, slightly calloused and dirty — a symbol of his poverty and devotion?

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Saint Luke by Guercino

So very beautiful.

Another copy of this painting can be found in America.

This shows the interesting transition from the earlier strong chiaroscuro influence to a latter more “classical” approach.

I love the folds and intensity colour of St Luke’s robes. The bull (on the shelf) is a subtle clue to his iconography.

The veins on St Luke’s hands are striking - Guercino adding a touch of vulnerability to Saint Luke.

The depiction is just so lovely. Mother Mary is the image of compassionate & divine love.

Capturing the inspiration of Saint Luke.

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Bust of Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus by Roman Sculptor (c. 212 AD)

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Doryphoros (Roman Copy) by Polykleitos (c. 1st Century BC)

Such an important & influential piece of art history.

This original Greek sculpture was considered the epitome of classical proportions and ideal male form. It emerged in Ancient Greece as a testament to their fascinating in the human form.

Standing in a relaxed contrapposto pose, it gives the human form a sense of balance.

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The suicide of Cleopatra by Giovanni Lanfranco

Capturing the tragedy of Cleopatra’s suicide.

A regal and defiant pose, a quiet dignity in her death.

And striking contrast between her pale skin and rich regal attire.

Another successful Baroque artist who lived in the same time as Caravaggio and Guercino. Guercino’s influence in the threaticality (rich colours, intensity of her pose) as she lays back against a chaise lounge.

Very happy to see Giovanni Lanfranco.

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Judith beheads Holofernes by Francesco Furini

Judith’s face is haunting and terrifying.

Her eyes. Wide and intense. Angry.

She’s a ferocious warrior with determination and focus as she carries out this gruesome task.

The 3rd party is Abra (Judith’s elderly assistant) and her expressions seems occluded.

Why does Furini paint a clean blade?

And yet significant blood dripping down the white garment.

Is Furini trying to say that Judith does not bear moral responsibility?

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Portrait of the Quarantotti family by Marco Benefial

Never heard of this artist, but this was a wonderful painting.

The cleric in the painting is Giovanni Rattista. He commissioned the portrait. Clearly emphasising his “scared” status and oratory.

His family don’t seem that interested in him.

Everyone is showing off in this portrait.

Rather unusual family portrait, Benefial shows us a peculiar freedom.

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Female Nude from Behind by Pierre Subleyras

Pierre Subleyras was a French artist who lived in Rome. He won the Prix de Rome in his time which was a prestigious award to study in Rome.

Here the artist shows off his skill in capturing a private moment of beauty and vulnerability.

The nude was a subject of allegory and mythology, but it becomes something different here:

A naked woman is all we can see. Subleyras strips his subject of her clothes, and of any iconographic frills or anecdotal pretexts. We can’t recognize her as a goddess, a nymph, an allegory, nor do we know if it is just a model, a lover or the painter’s wife ... This woman’s identity escapes us. But who said that identity should be conveyed only through the exhibition of ritual effigy, of sumptuous dresses, of the symbols of roles? Intimacy opens a gap for itself overturning, quite literally, the conventions of official portrait painting ... Subleyras anticipates by a century the shock that another Frenchman, Eduard Manet, will cause with his Olympia, creating a much greater stir.

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View of the Rialto Bridge by Canaletto

Got to love Canaletto.

I’ve been on this bridge.

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View of Venice by Canaletto

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The Banquet of the Rich Glutton by Mattia Preti

First time coming across this artist. It seems he was a major Baroque artist.

The rich man indulging his pleasures ... with a beggar in the background.

A social commentary on inequality, perhaps? The glutton's gaze is quite intense. It makes us feel uncomfortable?

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The Resurrection of Lazarus by Mattia Preti

Another powerful Pretti painting of Baroque art.

Man behind Lazarus holding his nose (realism).

Unsettling decaying body makes it arresting.

Someone seems to be wearing glasses too.

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Barberini Palace entrance

Bust of Titian by Rinaldo Rinaldi ✎

A bust of the legend.

From my archives of last Venice trip.

Titian at the National Gallery ✎

Note: This is a write-up on Titian’s masterpieces at the National Gallery.

In 2022, I saw the monument to Titian in the “Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari”.

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Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian (1520-1523)

Magnificent painting.

Greek mythology.

Princess Ariadne fallen in love with hero Theseus. She helps him to kill the Minotaur on Crete. Theseus then abandoned her while she slept. Distraught, Ariadne went wandering along the shore searching for her lover’s ship. She was surprised by Bacchus, the god of wine. He then fell in love with her and asked her to marry him. He offered her the sky as a wedding gift ... to which she would become a constellation.

In this painting, Bacchus seems transfixed (even pained and contorted) by love with, Ariadne at first sight ... Ariadne though lamenting her loss (shoreline in the distance). Bacchus was riding a chariot of leopards and seems to have been stumbling out. He is followed by a boisterous crowd, satyr, cute furry animals. Bacchus’s crimson silk so lustrous & magnificent. Ariadne taken aback and afraid (confused?). Her lapis-lazuli tunic so rich and mesmerising.

Their eyes utterly transfixed on each other. Their bodies in anatomical & musical harmony.

Titian use of colours is masterful. He combined the most vibrant pigments available to him at the time. The conjunction of strongly contrasting colours serves to intensify them.

The ultramarine blue in Titian’s sky was the most intense (and most expensive — sourced from Afghanistan) blue colour of the purest pigment. Titian’s masterpiece was featured on the BBC “A History Of Art In Three Colours” series from 2012. (Go to the 18:00 minute marker).

A guide discussing this painting to the crowds.

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The Death of Actaeon by Titian (1559-1575)

Love the action and drama. And there is an beautiful “lightness” to the crepuscular setting and colours which adds to the beauty & dramatic effect.

From Romano-greek mythology, the legendary hunter Actaeon intruded on the sacred grove inhabited by Diana — goddess of the hunt — and accidentally saw her naked. She then transformed him into a stag, and huntsman Actaeon is punished by being torn to pieces by his own hounds.

  

Actaeon transforming into a dog.

Diana exposed.

I love Diana’s beautiful hair, the elegance of her wrists and arms as she readies herself for attack. The flowing dress, and the hint of a bosom as her hand moves to recover her privacy.

Love the figure of the dog chasing through Diana’s legs.

You can see the stag head.

Beautiful in its gilded frame.

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Diana and Actaeon by Titian (1556-1559)

Absolutely beautiful.

Diana about to be startled; with nymphs changing, and one of them pulling on hanging robes to protect Diana.

Beautiful reflective puddles of water. Cute dog. Amazing columns with gargoyles, and Actaeon seeming rather innocent?

This painting is paired with the one below.

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Diana and Callisto by Titian (1556-1559)

Tragedy, sensuality.

Callisto was Diana’s favourite nymph. She was raped by the king of the Gods, Jupiter. Her pregnancy is discovered at the communal bath. For the transgression of chastity, she is banished. Diana painted powerful and condemnatory.

 

The moment of banishment.

I notice half of the nymphs seem to be helping Callisto to gather her strength, and clothe her. Callisto’s face is occluded and she seems to have lost her balance.

The others are by the Goddess Diana, with one clutching arrows and hand resting on a bow.

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Portrait of the Vendramin Family by Titian (early 1540s)

Love it. I have reviewed it before.

It is a tremendous group portrait. It is beautiful as well as a “history painting” in devotion to a religious relic. There is a story of a cross being presented to Andrea Vendramin who — after it fell into the Venetian canals — jumped in to save it.

I love lynx-fur linings, hair, beards, genuflections, candles flickering in the wind...

 

Beautiful resplendent purple robes. Three brothers.

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Portrait of a Lady (“La Schiavona”) by Titian (1510-1512)

An everlasting gaze?

We do not know who this woman is, but she has an engaging with a direct engagement to the viewer.

The profile relief on the parapet (which was a later addition) repeats her own features.

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Portrait of Gerolamo Barbarigo by Titian (1510)

This kind of portrait practice solidified Titian’s international reputation.

Gerolamo, the likely sitter, was grandson of Doge Marco Barbarigo. Aged 30, he was the magistrate responsible for navigation.

He is a nobleman and Titian paints him with a refined intelligence — without seeming contrived.

The blue quilted satin sleeve dominates the picture space, and projects off the canvas and into our space. This subverts the Venetian convention of a parapet giving the illusion of depth.

 

He appears to be glancing at us ... perhaps from beneath his nose.

There is a softness to the beard.

Love the creases in his sleeves.

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The Virgin suckling the Infant Christ by Titian (1565-1575)

Beautiful. Really love it.

A devotional painting which focuses on the Mother’s humility, love and devotion. Also, the sanctity of her milk.

The Virgin gazes tenderly at her infant Christ sitting on her lap in a white cloth — his own face occluded. She seems to be moving him closer to herself. The Christ has cute brown hair, and rosy red cheeks.

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The Aldobrandini Madonna by Titian (1532)

Love it.

One of the my favourite Madonnas.

 

I love the golden silky translucent shawl, and the tenderness of the embrace.

The blue is mind-blowing.

I have reviewed it before:

Typical Renaissance pyramid structure, and nicely balanced with symmetry in the composition, I think. And such an intensely strong arresting vibrant blue. The Virgin sits with elegance and grace. There is a decent perspective against an arcadian vista with an angel soaring high above. The Virgin is accompanied by John the Baptist while Christ is held in such loving tenderness and affection. Both John and Jesus are painted with such innocence and pulchritudinous. This lady’s hair is beautifully arranged with a sumptuous golden piece of cloth about her neck and shoulders.

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Portrait of a Young Man by Titian (1515-1520)

Classic Titian: the profile intruding the parapet, the sitter’s pose and personality exhibited, the quilted fabrics and silks.

A pensive gaze, and an amazing jawline.

Here the black sleeve against a red section of the sitter holding a kidskin glove. The face seems to glow against the gloomy dark background.

I wonder what the classical sculptures in the background are intended to convey?

The man’s identity is a mystery.

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The Tribute Money by Titian (1516)

Love it.

I wrote about this before:

Fascinating. Christ being asked by the Pharisees whether they should pay tax to the Romans.

There is something disembodied in Christ’s eyesight and posture. He doesn’t seem to be addressing the man at all - but rather looking beyond him. It seems the raised arm and elbow might be rebuffing the Pharisees’s coin. Interesting finger, elongated a bit (deliberately?). Smooth, delicate and wrinkle-free. Christ has lovely neat hair, and a glowing complexion with beautiful garments. All set against some vague unrealistic environment of a wall and a sky with clouds.

The Pharisees’s arm is fascinating. That amazing nuance of his arm’s flesh becoming flaccid with old age; and the muscles protruding under the thin skin. His other hand grasping some other wallet or object. And a spectacled observer in the corner. Then there are the grey hairs of his scalped having been combed; and the blood vessels in his throat.

Beautiful contrast in colours, details and postures; and that pointed finger as a cautionary suggestion.