Rome is set to honor the iconic artist Caravaggio during the Roman Catholic Jubilee Holy Year with the largest exhibition dedicated to him, titled 'Caravaggio 2025', taking place at Palazzo Barberini from March 7 to July 6.
This exhibition, produced by the National Galleries of Ancient Art in collaboration with the Galleria Borghese, will showcase approximately twenty paintings by Michelangelo Merisi (1571-1610), including several works that are rarely seen by the public or are being exhibited in Italy for the first time. The director of the National Galleries of Ancient Art, Thomas Clement Salomon, noted that more works may be added as the final loans are secured.
Highlights of the exhibition include the Portrait of Maffeo Barberini and the Ecce Homo, which is currently displayed at the Prado in Madrid and has never been seen in Italy before. Maria Cristina Terzaghi, one of the exhibition's curators, provided insight into the history of the Ecce Homo, explaining its journey from Naples to Madrid and its subsequent loan for this exhibition.
According to Francesca Cappelletti, co-curator and director of the Galleria Borghese, the exhibition will feature three significant loans from the Galleria Borghese, including Sick Bacchus, David with the Head of Goliath, and Saint John the Baptist, which are believed to have accompanied Caravaggio during his final years.
Caravaggio, who was born in Milan, fled Rome in May 1606 after being accused of murder, embarking on a tumultuous journey through Italy that lasted over four years until his death in July 1610 at the age of 38.