DORIA PAMPHILJ PALACE - DORIA PAMPHILJ GALLERY (sixth part)

Fourth Corridor

“Bust of Olimpia Maidalchini Pamphilj” masterpiece by Alessandro Algardi (1598/1654)

“Unlike Bernini who chooses a transitory moment, Algardi represent his model with the mouth closed, in a state of permanence and peaceful existence. Even the most meticulous attention to detail, down to the wrinkles and warts, and how skilled to treat the skin, hair and fur, you do not need to give these portraits the dynamic vitality of those by Bernini. Compared to Bernini, who never loses sight of the whole in which each part is subject, the busts of 'Algardi seem aggregates of an infinite number of accurate observations made before the model “(Rudolf Wittkower)

“Susanna and the Elders” recently attributed to Annibale Carracci (1560/1609) after it has been believed for a long time by Domenichino

“Landscape with Ford” about 1605 by Domenico Zampieri aka Domenichino (1581/1641)

“In the landscaping genre Domenichino, free from selective rigors, approached the truth of nature. Even if similar to Annibale Carracci's style, this ideal landscape presents vivid realistic notations” (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)

“St. Joseph” by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri aka Guercino (1591/1666)

“Angel with tambourine” by Tiziano Vecellio (Titian) (about 1490/1576)

“Sorrowful Madonna” by Francesco Trevisani (1656/1746)

“Lady Penitent” by Luca Cambiaso (1527/85)

“Agony in the Garden” by Marcello Venusti (about 1512/79)

“Madonna and Child with Sts. Catherine and Bernard” by Ludovico Carracci (1555/1619)

“Nativity” and “Madonna and Child” by Francesco Mazzola aka Parmigianino (1503/40)

“Penitent Magdalene”, “St. John the Baptist” and “Concerto” by Mattia Preti (1613/99)

“Four Allegories of the elements”: fire, air, earth and water by Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568/1625) (son of Pieter Brueghel the Elder) and Hendrick van Balen (1575/1632)

In addition “Madonna and Child with animals”, “Paradise on Earth with original sin”, “Landscape with the creation of man”, “Landscape with Temptation of St. Anthony”, “Landscape with a vision of St. John on Patmos” and “Landscape with foundry” also by Jan Brueghel the Elder

“St. Paul” by Giacinto Brandi (1621/91)

“St. Peter Penitent” and “Liberation of St. Peter” by Sisto Badalocchio (1585/1645)

“Battle scene” and “After the Battle” by Jacques Courtois aka Borgognone (1628/79)

“Sacrifice of Isaac” by Jan Lievens (1607/74)

“Christ and the Doctors” by Ludovico Mazzoli aka Ludovico Mazzolino (about 1479/about 1529)

“Erminia among the shepherds” by Giovanni Francesco Romanelli (1610/62)

“Rest on the Flight into Egypt” by Simone Cantarini (1612/48)

“Bust of Pope Innocent X” about 1650 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598/1680). The crack led Bernini to replicate it with the one now in the Cabinet of Velásquez

Poussin Hall

Twenty-four “Landscapes” including “Landscape with Lucan Bridge” by Gaspard Dughet (1615/75) also known as Poussin for being part of the family of his master Nicolas Poussin (1594/1665): he was his brother-in-law (brother of Poussin's wife) and his adopted son

Seven were carried out in collaboration with the painter of figurines Guillaume Courtois aka Borgognone (1628/79) brother of Jacques Courtois he said Borgognone

“Dughet was the first to apply the technique of fresco to the landscape genre and could use large spaces, in churches or palaces, to carry out his views. Assimilating the new Baroque spirit, he emphasized the decorative aspects of the representation which gave spectacular effects of infinite space; despite having a classical figurative culture, Dughet mediated the rational spirit with the search for expressive and picturesque accents” (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)

Other landscapes by Flemish artists such as Herman Van Swanevelt, Jan Baptist Weenix and Jan de Momper (1614/84)

CORSINI PALACE - CORSINI GALLERY (second part)

GALLERIA CORSINI

Commissioned by Cardinal Neri Maria Corsini, nephew of Clement XII Corsini (1730/40)

It consists of about 600 paintings, including both those exhibited in eight rooms and those in storage. It is the only eighteenth-century Roman collection that was preserved intact

ATRIUM and STAIRCASE

“Roman Sarcophagi” and “Ancient busts”

VESTIBULE

Various ancient statues, some of which “completed” arbitrarily in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, including “Cleopatra” completed by Pietro Paolo Olivieri (1551/99) an “Igea” and “Satyr with kroupezion”, also completed by Pietro Paolo Olivieri, dating back to 150 BC found in the Villa of the Quintili

The kroupezion is a kind of wooden sandal used to mark time in dance. This satyr is one of the best existing copies in the world

Room I - Antechamber

“Originally the room was called 'Antechamber of the servants' and it was divided by a corridor that ran along the entire perimeter of the façade of the building, thus allowing the servants to access the rooms that opened onto the Via Lungara through a system of stairs connecting the various floors, without having to go through the reception rooms. At the time of Neri Maria Corsini the room was also known as 'Room of canonizations' for the presence of some paintings (now on display in Room VIII) depicting episodes from the life of people beatified or canonized under Pope Clement XII” (Official Website of the Galleria Corsini - galleriacorsini.beniculturali.it)

On the wall above the door “Front of marble sarcophagus” of the third century AD with a bas-relief frieze depicting allegorical scenes of harvesting grapes and circus

Objects placed on furniture:

“Round Cup in yellow alabaster” of the eighteenth century

“Large piece of pink amber” maybe from the Baltic Sea

Small bronze “Time kidnaps Youth” by the Florentine sculptor G.B. Foggini (1652/1725)

Selection of mainly landscape paintings from the collection:

“Landscape with Rinaldo and Armida”, “Hercules capturing the mares of Diomedes”, “Orpheus and Eurydice”, “Landscape with nymph and satyr”, “Landscape with sheep grazing”, “Hercules and Antaeus” and “Stormy Landscape” by Gaspard Dughet (1615/75)

Dughet was born in Rome to French parents and was the brother-in-law of Nicolas Poussin

“Landscape with Rinaldo and Armida hinges on the shady hill in the center from which its bright reliefs convey the air on two telescopes prospective offset to each other, one climbing almost vertically with respect to one's point of view, between mountain ridges, the other scattering in a diagonal through the whole framework, breaking through boundaries to the furthest horizon. The movement of the clouds that are gathering on the mountain and fade bleaching to the marina, are useful to develop an atmospheric space that adds depth and naturalness to the view. (...) The inspiration was given by a view of Mount Soratte that Dughet enriched with specially invented details. (...) It is one of the masterpieces of the great Roman landscape painter” (Sivigliano Alloisi)

“Landscape with waterfall and shepherds” and “Landscape with women by a spring” by the Flemish who settled in Rome Jan Frans Van Bloemen aka Orizzonte (1662/1749)

“Even in the great tradition of Dughet and Lorrain, he was able to translate the landscape of Roman countryside according to the canons of the new Arcadian sensitivity. (...) His landscapes are constructed with a classic and serene balance that softens the natural reality in a timeless dimension, led by timid figurines almost afraid to disturb the charm of a nature finally freed from the cares of men” (Sivigliano Alloisi)

Four landscapes: “Landscape with a farmer who removes a thorn”, “Landscape with Diana”, “Landscape with peasant woman picking louses from her child’s hair” and “Landscape with bagpiper” by Crescenzio Onofri (1632/1712)

“River Landscape” and “Landscape with river and castle” by Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi (1606/80) from Bologna

“Adoration of the Shepherds” by G.B. Passeri (1610/79)

“Landscape with shepherds by a lake” and “Landscape with fishermen and women” by the Roman Andrea Locatelli (1693/1741)

“Landscape” of the so-called Maestro della Betulla (Master of the Birch) (active 1630/40) maybe Gaspard Dughet

“Christ among the Doctors” about 1656/60 by Luca Giordano (1634/1705)

“He reworked the legacy of the past with great critical freedom and his immeasurable creative impetus took advantage of a fast technique: note for example in Jesus among the Doctors the fluid brush that dissolves forms in a golden glow mass. The ability to absorb the different styles or communication techniques made Luca Giordano a modern artist who chose the formal means according to the circumstances and for the purposes of expression. Large dimensions were particularly congenial to his lively sense of color and his inventive streak” (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)

“Judith and Holofernes” about 1715/20 by G.B. Piazzetta (1683/1754)

“Piazzetta chose to represent the moment immediately prior to the beheading of the Assyrian general. Judith is preparing to loosen with her left hand the strap to which the sword of Holofernes is suspended, while he lies dormant in the lower left of the painting, and at the same time she indicates high above as to implore the help of God and to point to the real inspirer of the act” (Official Website of the Galleria Corsini - galleriacorsini.beniculturali.it)

“Small Triptych with Judgement and Pentecost” by Fra' Giovanni da Fiesole aka Fra Angelico (about 1395/1455)

“He wouldn’t paint if he hadn’t prayed first and he never corrected his works, because he was convinced that every stroke of his brush would have a divine inspiration. For all his life he painted sacred subjects (…), but he nevertheless introduced a touch of realism in those solemn compositions, the figures appearing solid and real, reminding us of Masaccio’s style. We must consider that Fra Angelico lived in between two different periods: the Fourteenth century – a century during which the medieval tradition was still felt, emphasizing precious colorful fabric and using golden backgrounds – and the Fifteenth century, during which the Renaissance culture prevails with realism in painting and the rules of perspective. Fra Angelico was influenced by both cultures and styles” (Bettina Mirabile - Enciclopedia dei ragazzi Treccani)

“Battle” by Jacques Courtois aka Borgognone (1628/79)

“Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist” by Girolamo Siciolante da Sermoneta (1521/80) a pupil of Perin del Vaga

“Madonna and Child” by anonymous painter, copy from an original by Perin del Vaga

“Moses freeing the daughters of Jethro” and “Rebecca at the Well” by Giuseppe Nasini (1657/1736)

“Meeting of Jacob and Laban” by Ciro Ferri (1634/89) from the original by Pietro da Cortona

“Winter” by Eberhard Keilhau detto Monsù Bernardo (1624/87)

COLONNA PALACE - APARTMENT OF PRINCESS ISABELLE (second part)

APPARTAMENTO DELLA PRINCIPESSA ISABELLE

ENTRANCE HALL

“Four views of the Villa di Capodimonte in Naples” 1840 by Annibale Angelini (1812/84)

ROOM OF THE CANOPY

St. Charles Borromeo lived here in the 60s of the sixteenth century

Family portraits including “Felice Orsini” by Scipione Pulzone (about 1550/98)

VANVITELLI ROOM

“Roman Landscapes” by Gaspar van Wittel (1653/1736)

PINK ROOM

Canvas “Landscape with Judgement of Paris” by Carlo Maratta (1625/1713) and Gaspard Dughet (1615/75)

Nine small works by Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568/1625)

“Self Portrait” 1558 by Sofonisba Anguissola (about 1531/1626) a great Italian portraitist who lived almost 100 years

“Through the eclectic education of Bernardino Campi, Anguissola soberly felt the influence of the school of Raphael and Parmigianino, through Bernardino Gatti the art of Correggio. He painted mainly portraits of solid workmanship and considerable spontaneity (...), absorbing the preponderant influence of the Venetians, not separated from resonances of the greatest masters from Emilia and from Spain” (Enciclopedia Treccani)

ROOM OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM

Fresco to celebrate the marriage of Lorenzo Onofrio and Maria Mancini “Fame, Flora, Gloria and Cupid” by Giacinto Gimignani (1606/81), Carlo Cesi and others

ROOM OF THE FOUNTAIN

Ceiling “old style” by Bernardino di Betto aka Pinturicchio (1454/1513)

“Sts. Maurilio and Paul with the Abbot Nicholas Roverella” about 1474 by Cosmè Tura

“Tura studied in Padua with Squarcione: his special reaction to the new Florentine art comes from there. He meditated Donatello and Mantegna known before importing in Ferrara his relentless curiosity. A peculiar care in the contours, in the narrow folds, the unreality of the colors that are a kind of challenge, the predilection for motives carefully analyzed and redundant, shells, garlands, dragons, crystal spirals similar to steel shavings, and of course armors. All elements, in short, of an imaginative and, so to speak, heraldic antiquity” (André Chastel)

Ancient “Statue of crocodile” third century AD

ROOM OF THE STORM

“Landscapes with storm” 1667/68 by Pieter Mulier aka Tempesta (1637/1701)

DUGHET ROOM

Ceiling by Cristoforo Roncalli aka Pomarancio (1552/1626)

On the walls beautiful tromp l'oeil frescoes by Gaspard Dughet (1615/75)

DINING ROOM

Frescoes on vault and lunettes by the same artists who decorated the Vatican Library under the direction of Giovanni Guerra (1544/1618) and Cesare Nebbia (1536/1614)

ROOM OF THE MASK

“Roman Floor” IV sec. AD from Bovillae