Galleria Borghese

Welcome to the Galleria Borghese, arguably the most magical and awe-inspiring art museum in Rome. We are standing in what was once the 'Casino Nobile,' a 17th-century country villa built for Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the nephew…

In the very first room, we encounter one of the most famous statues in the world: Bernini’s 'Apollo and Daphne.' This is a masterpiece of storytelling in marble. The myth is a sad one: Apollo, struck by Cupid’s arrow,…

Moving to the center of another room, we find a statue that was once the source of a massive scandal: Antonio Canova’s depiction of Pauline Bonaparte as 'Venus Victrix.' Pauline was the sister of Napoleon and the wife of Prince…

We now enter one of the most important rooms for any lover of painting: the Caravaggio gallery. Scipione Borghese was an obsessed collector of Caravaggio’s work, and he would go to extreme lengths to acquire them—even, it is…

Before moving on, take a moment to look up. One of the most unique aspects of the Borghese is that the building itself is a masterpiece. …

Stepping outside the main gallery building, we enter the 'Secret Gardens' that flank the villa. These gardens were originally private spaces where the Cardinal could host guests and show off his botanical collection. …

The final layer of the Borghese story is its transition from a private family treasure to a national museum. The Borghese were part of the 'Black Nobility'—Roman aristocratic families who remained loyal to the Pope after the…

As our tour of the Galleria Borghese concludes, I hope you feel the 'sensory overload' that this masterpiece of masterpieces was designed to evoke. We have traveled from the divine metamorphosis of Bernini’s marble to the gritty…