The Borghese Museum is a national museum in Rome, Italy, located inside the Villa Borghese. The museum houses a substantial part of the Borghese collection of paintings, sculpture and antiquities, begun by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V (reign 1605–1621). The Villa was built by the architect Flaminio Ponzio, developing sketches by Scipione Borghese himself, who used it as a villa suburbana, a country villa, at the edge of Rome.
History
The Villa Borghese gardens were designed by the Italian architect and landscape painter, Giovanni Battista Nolli in 1760, replacing a previous garden by Carlo Fontana. The Borghese family had acquired the surrounding land in 1576, and the villa and gardens were developed over the years. The Borghese collection includes major sculptures by Bernini and Canova, as well as paintings by Titian, Correggio, Rubens, Caravaggio, and other Renaissance and Baroque artists.
The Collection
The Borghese collection is one of the most important art collections in Europe, and it is especially renowned for its sculptures and paintings. It includes works by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Antonio Canova, Caravaggio, and Titian, among others.
Sculptures
The Borghese collection includes some of the most important sculptures of the Baroque period. The most famous sculpture in the collection is Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne, which is considered one of the masterpieces of the Baroque. Other important sculptures include Bernini’s David and Pluto and Proserpina, and Canova’s Paolina Bonaparte as Venus Victrix.
Paintings
The collection also includes some of the most important Italian Renaissance and Baroque paintings. These include works by Titian, Correggio, Rubens, and Caravaggio, among others.
Visiting the Museum
The museum is open every day except Mondays. The museum can be reached by taking the Metro to the Flaminio stop and then walking for about 10 minutes. Tickets must be booked in advance and can be purchased online.
Conclusion
The Borghese Museum is one of the most important art collections in Europe and is especially renowned for its sculptures and paintings. Visitors to Rome should make sure to visit this museum to see some of the most important works of art in the world.