Baroque, the all-encompassing stylistic movement, was born in Rome. The first of the ‘styles’ to be considered artistically revolutionary, Baroque, incited an explosion of creativity, decorative indulge and an essence of the sacred and profane.
The city-wide exposition celebrating the marvels of this period and its impact on Rome as Caput Mundi, is titled Baroque in Roma: The Wonders of Art. Rome was the stage then, attracting the stars of all art disciplines, and it will come alive again, shining a light on how Rome IS Baroque.
Madonna con Bambino e i Santi Giacomo, Giovanni Battista, Stefano papa e Francesco
Cortona, MAEC, Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca e della Città di Cortona
MAEC-Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca e della Città di Cortona – Archivio Fotografico
The Baroque movement began at the beginning of the 17th Century in an appeal to unite God and Man. Pope Urban 8th Barberini began to encourage visual artists to communicate the word of God to the masses through art. This new attitude of bringing the message of god through art to the people meant Rome enjoyed far more than a spiritual makeover.
Bozzetto per la Beata Ludovica Albertoni
San Pietroburgo, Museo Statale Ermitage
Photograph © The State Hermitage Museum /Alexander Koksharov, Leonard Kheifets, Pavel Demidov
Bernini and Borromini got to work on a multitude of buildings, the Carracci brothers and Guercino spread the word through paintings, Lanfranco and Pietro da Cortona got busy with frescoes. But it didn’t stop there. The dynamic and theatrical nature of this creative enlightenment attracted many names from outside of Italy. Many produced their best works in Rome, and artists such as Rubens, Poussin and Vouet promoted this new style all over Europe.
Il Tempo vinto dalla Speranza e dalla Bellezza
Madrid, Museo del Prado
© Photographic Archive. Museo Nacional del Prado. Madrid
La Meraviglia della Arti exposition is an incredible opportunity to discover the impact this dynamic movement had on Rome, its birthplace, and around the world. The main attraction is the exhibition at Palazzo Cipolla which features more than 200 works, including incredible masterpieces on loan from Italian and International collections. The museum has been transformed to whisk you back to a more theatrical and ornamental time, with its paintings, sculptures, illustrations and decorative pieces all vying for attention. The exhibition at Palazzo Cipolla has been designed to be an informative introduction, once collecting the entrance ticket, hold on to it!
Santa Maria Maddalena Penitente con due angeli
Città del Vaticano, Musei Vaticani
Servizio fotografico dei Musei Vaticani
©Musei Vaticani
Special events, presentations and exhibitions will be taking place in galleries and museums all over Rome, from April to July. The Vatican museums will be hosting special tours on Bernini in the Vatican, didactic tours will be available in the Galleria Pamphili dedicated to Pope Innocent X Pamphili, and many more special events and exhibitions will be held at the Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Colonna and Castel Sant’ Angelo. The ticket from the Palazzo Cipolla exhibition can be used at many of these participating institutions during this event for an entrance discount. After being exposed to this world of dramatic expression, Rome will not look the same. Instead, you will notice how Rome shines with the drama of the marvelous Baroque.
Till 26 July 2015
Fondazione Museo Roma (Palazzo Cipolla)
Via del Corso, 320
Mon 3pm-8pm;Tue-Thu&Sun 10am-8pm
Fri-Sat 10am-9:30pm
Entry Fee € 10-12
Satellite Events: http://mostrabaroccoroma.it/pagine/satellite-events-002
fondazioneromamuseo.it
