Angels: Messengers, Guardians, Wayfarers – Exhibition at Musei Capitolini

Musei Capitolini presents a thematic exhibition focused on how angels have been depicted in Western art. The itinerary moves from ancient representations to modern and contemporary reinterpretations, highlighting the increasing humanization of angelic figures and the symbolic readings developed during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Dates: from 13 May to 1 November 2026.

Highlights

• Pietro da Cortona, "The Guardian" (1656) from the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Palazzo Barberini.
• Carlo Dolci, "The Announcing Angel" (c.1650) on loan from the Uffizi Gallery.
• Guercino, "Saint Matthew with the Angel" (1622) from the Musei Capitolini collection.
• Exceptional loan of Giovanni Antonio Galli (Lo Spadarino), "Guardian Angel" (c.1620) from the Fondo Edifici di Culto.
• Contemporary works from private collections, including pieces by Omar Galliani and Osvaldo Licini.

Organisation and catalogue

Curated by Massimo Rossi Ruben and Viviana Vannucci. Promoted and organised by the City of Rome – Department of Culture, with the Capitoline Superintendency for Cultural Heritage and support from the European Centre for Tourism and Culture. The exhibition catalogue is published by Gangemi Editore.

Practical information

• Venue: ground-floor halls of Palazzo dei Conservatori, Musei Capitolini.
• Address: Piazza del Campidoglio, 4 – 00186 Rome, Italy.
• Works on display include loans from national museums and private collections (e.g. Museo di Capodimonte, Gallerie Nazionali, Uffizi, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Pinacoteca Capitolina).
• Check official Musei Capitolini channels for updated opening hours and ticket details.

The exhibition is a rare chance to view important works often not on public display, assembled to explore the dialogue between artistic form and the social or spiritual roles associated with angelic imagery.