Caravaggio portrait acquired by Italian state

"The portrait captured Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini when he was 30 years old and an up-and-coming cleric of the Apostolic Chamber, showcasing his early prominence in the Catholic Church."

"The portrait was in the Barberini family collection for more than 300 years, until it was sold in around 1935 when financial distress drove the family to sell much of its unparalleled collection."

"The portrait was finally shown to the public for the first time in 2024 when the owners loaned it to the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica in Rome for a special exhibition dedicated to the work."

Caravaggio's portrait of Monsignor Maffeo Barberini, painted around 1599, has been acquired by the Italian state for 30 million euro. The painting depicts Barberini at 30, during his rise in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, aided by his family's wealth. The portrait remained in the Barberini family collection for over 300 years before being sold in 1935. It was hidden from public view until 2024 when it was loaned for an exhibition at the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica in Rome, marking its first public display.

Read at www.thehistoryblog.com