“Vasari in Rome”: an exhibition at the Capitoline Museums

Vasari in Rome: exhibition at the Capitoline Museums

From 20 March 2026 to 19 July 2026, Palazzo Caffarelli hosts "Vasari in Rome", an exhibition focused on Giorgio Vasari (1511–1574) and the decisive influence of the Eternal City on his artistic and intellectual development.

Curated by Alessandra Baroni with a catalog published by Gangemi, the show is promoted by Rome City Council and the Capitoline Superintendency for Cultural Heritage, organized with MetaMorfosi Eventi and Zètema Progetto Cultura.

What to expect

The exhibition reconstructs Vasari’s ties with Rome through his stays, workshop activities and networks. Over 70 items are on display, including drawings, prints, letters, medals, sculptures and paintings, with significant loans from Italian and international institutions.

• Autograph works and drawings: 16 autograph works and 7 drawings
• Key works: the Resurrection with Raffaellino del Colle (c.1545), the Resurrection of Christ (1550), the Portrait of a Gentleman from Palazzo Bianco
• Highlights from Casentino: the Nativity of 1538 (“Night of Camaldoli”) and the Agony in the Garden (1571)
• International loan: the Annunciation (1570–1571) from the Móra Ferenc Museum in Szeged

Exhibition layout and themes

• Section I: Vasari’s early Roman stays and studies from antiquity and Raphael (1532, 1538)
• Section II: the Farnese court and the Sala dei Cento Giorni (1542–1546)
• Section III: the making of the Lives, engagement with Michelangelo and commissions for Pope Julius III (1550–1555)
• Section IV: Vatican commissions, chapels for Pius V and the decoration of the Sala Regia (1570–1572)

Accessibility and learning

The show features audiovisual materials on Vasari’s Roman locations and provides two audio guides, including an accessible route enhanced with tactile panels and audio description to ensure inclusive access.

Practical note: the exhibition highlights how Vasari’s Roman experience shaped his role as painter, architect and art historian, and how it influenced the wider cultural landscape of the Renaissance.