On the final day of my last trip to Rome, I saw “just” two paintings. Each, however, was extremely special. 

The first was in a newly-opened exhibition space on Via del Corso. It was free to enter (as the eager young docent told me when I arrived). The space is the Palazzo Cipolla, a new part of the Museo del Corso, Polo Museale. This palazzo will reportedly house temporary exhibits. I certainly hope they will continue to be free and of the same terrific quality I saw this day.

The first exhibition at this space was timed to coincide with the Vatican Jubilee, which began December 24, 2024. The exhibit displays “just” one painting by the great artist Marc Chagall, title “The White Crucifixion” (La Crocifissione Bianca). Magnificent. As you can see in the photo at the top of the page, it glows incandescently. The people who saw it, including myself, were mesmerized.

Besides the fact that this is clearly a masterpiece, what made the exhibition so special was the quality of the exhibit’s execution. In a room off to one side of the exhibition space there was a detailed discussion (in perfect English — which does not always happen in Rome!) of the different scenes in the painting, placing them in their historical context. Although dealing with a difficult subject — the Nazi persecution of Jews witnessed by Chagall as a young man — the exhibit was truly superb. Bravo to the Museo del Corso!

The White Crucifixion is on display until January 27, 2025. After that, a Picasso exhibition begins on February 27. Then there will be a Dali exhibit. Once again, kudos to the museum, since a lot of Roman museums don’t advertise upcoming exhibits very far in advance. I look forward to the future exhibits as well as seeing the permanent collection of this museum, housed in Palazzo Sciara Colonna, just across the street from Palazzo Cipolla. I don’t see any mention of an admission fee, and apparently they give free guided tours, so I certainly intend to go there on my next visit to Rome.

After contemplating the lovely Chagall, I walked up Via del Tritone, then veered right toward one of my favorite places in Rome, Palazzo Barberini. Although Palazzo Barberini is packed with spectacular art, on this day I was there to see one specific painting.

Every now and then, something special that has been hidden away in a private collection makes its way to the public eye. This painting was definitely something special. It was a portrait by one of my favorite artists, the great Caravaggio. And it had never before been displayed to the public. 

 

The subject is Maffeo Barberini, and it is so fitting that the first time this portrait has been displayed to the public is in Palazzo Barberini — the palace that he created. The portrait shows him as a young man, long before he became Pope Urban VIII.

The portrait is clearly of a wealthy and prominent individual. But Caravaggio’s masterful depiction gives us small clues to the intelligence and drive of this person. It’s a wonderfully insightful portrait.

 

 

We’re so used to Caravaggio’s sensual and moody works. So this portrait was a decidedly different painting. One exciting to see. The Portrait of Maffeo Barberini will be on display until February 23, 2025. 

Night had fallen by the time I left Palazzo Barberini. I was happy to have spent my last day in the Eternal City seeing “just” these two, wonderful paintings. And, before I got on the plane to head back to the States, I was already planning my next trip back to Rome. 

 

 

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