ROME.- The Galleria Borghese has begun to raise funds to the acquisition of a major work by Gian Lorenzo Bernini: the bronze bust of Urban VIII Barberini, which was executed in 1658 for Cardinal Antonio Barberini and is currently owned by his descendants. This is a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enhance the permanent collection of the Museum with a masterpiece by one of the artists with whom it most closely identified: Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

The person portrayed, Urban VIII, is a figure closely connected with the vicissitudes of Scipione Borghese’s collection, of which he was the inspiring theoretician. He likewise conceived and commented on the subjects portrayed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the monumental sculptures executed as a very young man for the Villa Borghese, where they are still to be found. 

The work is thus closely connected with the place that is waiting to host it. Therefore – in addition to the intrinsic art-historical value of the sculpture – the acquisition of the bust of Urban VIII would constitute an exceptional event, because of both the importance of the artist who executed it and the figure portrayed in it, and would fill the gap, for the Galleria Borghese, of not owning a portrait of Barberini along with those of the other illustrious protagonists of the Borghese court.

The Museum hopes to raise 8 million euro.

The work will have a most important place in the Collection and will be accompanied by a list of the donors.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini ((Naples, 1598 – Rome, 1680), Bust of Urbano VIII Barberini, 1658. Bronze, 101.5 x 78 cm, 40 x 30¾ in.