Italy Acquires Rare Caravaggio Portrait of Maffeo Barberini for €30 Million

Historic acquisition: the Portrait of Maffeo Barberini joins the public collection

The Italian government has acquired a rare portrait attributed to Caravaggio for €30 million. The painting will become part of the permanent collection at Palazzo Barberini in Rome, strengthening public holdings and ensuring broader access to an important work from the artist's early Roman phase.

Significance

• The painting depicts Maffeo Barberini, who later became Pope Urban VIII, and dates to around 1598.
• Portraits by Caravaggio are exceptionally rare; only a limited number of securely attributed works survive, making this acquisition particularly meaningful for scholarship.
• Adding the portrait to the Barberini collection enhances the museum’s historic narrative and supports further research and exhibitions.

About the painting

The portrait shows a bearded Barberini in dark ecclesiastical dress, posed with an expressive gesture that conveys authority and psychological presence. The composition is relatively restrained compared with Caravaggio's dramatic religious scenes, yet it clearly demonstrates his masterful use of chiaroscuro to model features and create tension.

Provenance and public access

Previously held in a private collection and seldom available to scholars, the work has recently been shown publicly. With the state's acquisition, it will be permanently displayed alongside other works connected to the Barberini family.

Visitor information

• Location: Palazzo Barberini, Rome
• Status: included in the museum's permanent collection
• Tip: check the museum's official channels for opening hours, ticketing and any related temporary exhibitions

This acquisition underscores efforts to preserve and make accessible key elements of Italy's artistic heritage, offering the public and researchers the opportunity to engage directly with a significant Caravaggesque portrait.