Summary
An exhibition titled “Bernini and the Barberini” has opened in Rome to celebrate one of the most significant patron-artist relationships in European history. The event marks the 400th anniversary of Pope Urban VIII’s consecration of St. Peter’s Basilica, which began in 1626. Urban VIII, who ruled from 1623 to 1644, recognized Gian Lorenzo Bernini as a prodigy and commissioned him to build his famous baldacchino over the tomb of Saint Peter. Before becoming pope, Cardinal Maffeo Barberini identified Bernini’s potential and supported his career. Urban VIII also commissioned works from Bernini early in his papacy, including the baldacchino canopy installed just last year for the 2025 Holy Year. The exhibition focuses on the relationship between Bernini and Urban VIII but excludes some of Bernini’s other notable works like the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona or the colonnade around St. Peter’s Square, which were commissioned by Pope Innocent X and Alexander VII respectively after Urban VIII’s death. Despite his controversial decision to reject Galileo Galilei’s plea for a pardon, John Paul II later apologized for this error. Urban VIII is celebrated at this exhibition as having identified Bernini as the Michelangelo of his age, influencing the Church’s cultural leadership in Europe.
Key Topics
Vatican City, Bernini, St. Peter’s Basilica
