The press conference for the major 2026 exhibition “Bernini and Barberini” was held at Palazzo Barberini. The show, open to the public from 12 February to 14 June, places at its centre the extraordinary relationship between Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Maffeo Barberini, the future Pope Urban VIII and true architect of the Roman Baroque.
Through six sections, the exhibition traces the artist’s evolution from his early years alongside his father Pietro to the full maturity reached during the Barberini pontificate. Sculptures, portraits, paintings and architectural projects illustrate how Maffeo was the first
to recognise Bernini’s talent, supporting him across all fields of the arts.
Thanks to exceptional loans and rarely displayed works, the exhibition offers a new and in-depth reading of a pivotal moment in European art history, revealing the creative power of a partnership that shaped the face of XVII century Rome.
Advance ticket sales begin on 4 December.
© Alberto Novelli and Alessio Panunzi Photography