Are you planning to visit Galleria Borghese in Rome and discover its beautiful masterpieces? Would you like to know whether it is really worth stepping inside this museum of the Italian capital, and get a sneak peek of its finest works?
You are in the right place… but let’s take it one step at a time.
If you are only looking for the practical details to buy your Galleria Borghese tickets and check the opening hours, you can jump straight to this section. Otherwise, I suggest you read the whole post, because you will discover a few curiosities that not everyone knows.
Do you know, for example, what inspired Bernini for the famous expression on his David?
You will find this out, along with many other curiosities about Galleria Borghese, right below!
The Borghese Museum is not only one of the most beautiful museums in Rome, but also one of the most interesting and prestigious in the whole world. The artworks of Galleria Borghese are among the finest of the Italian Baroque: inside you will find some of the greatest masterpieces by Bernini, but also paintings by Raphael and several works by Caravaggio.
Unfortunately, visiting the museum will not be easy!
To visit Galleria Borghese you need to know that you have to organise yourself in advance, and that you will have only two hours inside. Entries to the collection are timed, but don’t worry: two hours are more than enough to discover all its treasures. I recommend you book your ticket online, because buying it directly at the gallery is almost impossible, given the huge daily crowds and the slots that are always full.
Would you like to know more?
In this post you will discover everything there is to know about Galleria Borghese in Rome and the 10 works you just can’t miss, how to reach Galleria Borghese and how to organise your visit to this beautiful Roman museum!
All set?
Let’s go!
Galleria Borghese masterpieces
Galleria Borghese in Rome does not only hold an art collection of extraordinary beauty: the building itself is a real attraction for every art lover.
As soon as you step inside, I promise you will stand there with your head tilted back, admiring the ceilings, the decorations on the walls and doors, and the marble of the floors.
But what is kept inside?
Among the things to see at Galleria Borghese, you will discover unique and extremely precious sixteenth and seventeenth-century masterpieces.
Here you will find no fewer than 4 sculptural groups by Bernini (the most famous ones, by the way), 6 canvases by Caravaggio, 2 paintings by Raphael and 2 by Titian, as well as many other works that are no less valuable.
Domenichino, Dosso Dossi, Veronese, Correggio, Algardi… are just some of the artists you will find in the halls of Galleria Borghese in Rome!
But enough with the preambles: let’s look together at the 10 artworks of Galleria Borghese you absolutely can’t miss, starting with the magnificent salon.
1 – The salon of Mariano Rossi
The moment you cross the entrance door of Galleria Borghese, you will sense the immense beauty of this museum and the refinement of its decorations.
The decoration of the great entrance salon of Galleria Borghese is the most impressive of all. On the ceiling is the “Glory of Rome” by the painter Mariano Rossi. He is not very well known today, but in his time he was quite famous and sought-after. This work was commissioned in 1774 by Marcantonio IV Borghese, and it is truly striking.
What is depicted up there?
At the centre of the vault you can recognise Romulus, founder of Rome, being carried to the heavens by Jupiter, king of the gods.
On one side you will notice Furius Camillus defeating the Gauls in battle, on the other the allegory of Rome with the infants Romulus and Remus and the She-wolf, and finally the geese of the Capitol. There is also a representation of the Tiber in the form of a deity holding a long oar, and various other personifications of the city’s virtues, such as prosperity and abundance.
The naked figure to the left of the entrance, however, will leave you a little puzzled.
It is a woman holding the sun in her hand, and she represents Truth being unveiled by Time, defeating slander and envy. This hall of Galleria Borghese once held the matching statue by Bernini as a pendant.
What else can I say: this ceiling is magnificent, and it will keep your eyes turned upwards for quite a while!
One last curiosity about the Mariano Rossi Salon at Galleria Borghese!
The hall was restored several times over the centuries.
In the 18th century, for example, the busts of the “Twelve Caesars” by Giovan Battista della Porta were added to the niches at the top of the walls. In the 19th century, two more sculptures were brought here: a Bacchus from the 2nd century and the colossal Attacking Satyr that inspired Bernini for his David.
And the floor?
If you can tear your eyes away from the beautiful ceiling, you will notice that even the floor is wonderful. It is a mosaic found in an ancient Roman villa of the 4th century and moved to Galleria Borghese in the 19th century. It depicts gladiatorial games, and the names of the brave fighters are recorded too. Those with the Greek letter theta (Θ) next to them had died in combat by the time the mosaic was made.
I found it stunning.
2 – The statue of Paolina Borghese by Canova
Visiting the Borghese Museum without getting to know one of its leading ladies would be a real shame, wouldn’t it?!
In room number 1 you will find the symbol of Galleria Borghese. It is none other than Paolina Borghese, sister of Napoleon Bonaparte and wife of Camillo Borghese.
Why is she so important?
Paolina Borghese was a key figure in the history of the Museum and its collection. Napoleon forced his brother-in-law to sell to France 344 of the most important works in the family’s archaeological collection. Even today, at the Louvre, you can find many Roman statues that once belonged to the Borghese family, such as the Borghese Hermaphrodite or the Borghese Satyr!
The statue of Paolina Borghese is a work by Canova, commissioned precisely to “make up for” the losses caused by that massive dispossession.
But the statue is also hugely important for another reason!
Paolina caused a scandal at the time, because she is portrayed half-naked, in the guise of Venus Victrix, the winning goddess. In her hand she holds the golden apple that Paris had awarded to the most beautiful goddess, the goddess of love.
The work perfectly embodies Canova’s neoclassical ideal of harmony and composure: the mattress looks real, and the woman’s skin seems alive, so white and smooth it is!
You almost want to touch the fabrics just to check that they really are made of marble.
3 – Bernini’s David at Galleria Borghese
The David of Galleria Borghese is an early work by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who carved it in 1623, when he was only about 25 years old. It is the only statue with a biblical subject purchased by Cardinal Scipione, who immediately spotted the young sculptor’s talent.
David defeating the giant Goliath had already been portrayed by Donatello and Michelangelo, the two greatest sculptors of the Renaissance. It is no coincidence that Bernini’s ambitious genius chose this theme, measuring himself against the two great masters of the past.
What is so special about this sculpture?
Bernini’s David at Galleria Borghese is profoundly different from earlier versions: he is portrayed in the middle of the action, not once the deed is already done as in the others. David is usually depicted already victorious, holding Goliath’s head in his hands.
Here, instead, the twist of the body, the tense muscles and the focused face convey all the tension of the feat about to happen. It is said that, for the face, Bernini took inspiration from his own expression while sculpting, looking at himself in a mirror.
Here are a couple of curiosities!
It is interesting to notice that the back of Bernini’s David was not finished. The statue was meant to be placed against a wall and not seen in the round.
If you look closely, you will notice that David’s heel is made of plaster and not marble!
Perhaps Bernini, still very young, had made a mistake with his measurements; or perhaps, since the statue was to stand against the wall, it simply didn’t matter, because the missing piece would never be seen.
We will probably never know, but this small mistake by Bernini makes this artwork of Galleria Borghese even more intriguing.
What do you think?
4 – Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius by Bernini
This is the very first statue Bernini made for the cardinal, when he was around twenty years old.
Among the groups in the Borghese Museum it is the least famous, because it feels static and generally lacking in pathos compared to the other masterpieces. And yet this sculptural group is certainly no less important than the others, and let me explain why.
Do you remember the story of Aeneas?
This statue captures the very moment when the hero flees from Troy, as the city is stormed by the Greeks thanks to the trick of the horse. The figures depicted are therefore Aeneas carrying his father Anchises on his shoulders, and his little son Ascanius following behind.
This work is interesting for two reasons.
The first is that it was a tribute to the Borghese family, who claimed to be descended from Aeneas himself. The second is that it does not only represent the escape from Troy, but also conceals some far deeper symbolism.
In this work of Galleria Borghese you can read several meanings, including the three ages of man.
The child is obviously Ascanius, holding in his hands the flame, symbol of vitality and of the light of the future. Aeneas is the adult, carrying on his shoulders the weight of the family and its responsibility, with the physical and moral strength to guide the coming generations. The old man is fittingly Anchises, the historical memory of the family, clutching the statues of the Penates, the ancestors.
The wonderful thing about Galleria Borghese is that you can observe Bernini’s works in the round, and in this case the power of the three figures is especially clear when seen from behind.
The backs of the three characters, the way the wrinkled skin of the old man, the smooth skin of the hero and the plump skin of the child are carved, render perfectly the difference between the three.
Personally, it is one of the statues that moved me the most.
What about you?
5 – Apollo and Daphne by Bernini
I recommend visiting Galleria Borghese even just to be moved in front of this masterpiece.
Do you remember the myth of Apollo and Daphne?
This group represents the moment when the god Apollo catches up with the nymph Daphne who, not returning his love, begs to be turned into a tree rather than yield to the god’s desires.
Bernini’s expressive power in this work is unmatched.
As with the David, the hero is shown in the act of accomplishing his feat: here too the young Apollo is caught, as if photographed, at the very instant he reaches his beloved Daphne, who is turning into laurel.
It all unfolds before the astonished eyes of the god: the feet become roots, the hands leaves, the hair branches, and the body a rough trunk.
In Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”, which inspired the work, we read:
A heavy numbness seized her limbs; thin bark closed over her breast; her hair turned into leaves, her arms into branches; her feet, so swift a moment ago, stuck fast in sluggish roots; her face was lost in the canopy. Only her shining beauty remained. Even so, Phoebus loved her; and placing his hand against the trunk, he felt her heart still trembling under the new bark. Folding the branches in his arms as if they were limbs, he kissed the wood (…)
The way Bernini renders the action is incredible. When you visit Galleria Borghese, pay attention to the details: the fineness of the leaves, Apollo’s raised foot and his sandal, the nymph’s half-open mouth that seems to be crying out.
Daphne’s transformation is rendered to perfection by Bernini. The nymph seems to turn into laurel right before our eyes, and it is with laurel that the god will forever crown his head, in memory of his beloved.
6 – The Rape of Proserpina at Galleria Borghese
Carved between 1621 and 1622 (at 23/24 years old) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, this artwork of Galleria Borghese stands at the centre of the Emperors’ salon.
The protagonist this time is Pluto, god of the underworld, in the act of abducting Proserpina. The young woman struggles in the god’s arms and weeps helplessly, while he sneers, delighted with his prey.
The drama of the scene is heightened by the monstrous dog Cerberus, barking and growling with his three heads at anyone who dares approach to snatch the girl from his master. The whole scene is rendered perfectly: Pluto’s muscles taut with effort, Proserpina’s raised arm, the swirling of her robes and hair. Every single detail is carved with extreme care and mastery.
Here are a few things to notice!
When you look at this beautiful artwork of Galleria Borghese, pay attention to the details. On Proserpina’s cheek you will see a tear running down her face, while on the back of the god Pluto there is a mole.
But the most astonishing thing about this sculpture is Pluto’s hands sinking into the thighs of his prey. His grip is so realistic that the marble seems to be real flesh.
7 – The Caravaggios at Galleria Borghese
If I have bored you with all these works by Bernini, you should know that Galleria Borghese also holds the largest collection of canvases by Caravaggio in the world.
In room 8 there are no fewer than six paintings by Caravaggio: the Madonna dei Palafrenieri, David with the Head of Goliath, Boy with a Basket of Fruit, the so-called Sick Bacchus, Saint Jerome and Saint John the Baptist.
Which one is the most beautiful?
Choosing just one is not easy at all, but the one that perhaps struck me most was the wonderful Madonna dei Palafrenieri.
Why is it special?
As often happened with Caravaggio’s works, this painting also drew harsh criticism, so much so that it was removed from its original location, inside the church of Sant’Anna dei Palafrenieri, and finally bought by Cardinal Borghese.
What was so “improper” about it?
Nowadays we might not even notice it, but for the time, you have to admit that the Virgin’s neckline was not something to be put on such display. Nor was the nudity of a divine child no longer in swaddling clothes.
The theme depicted is the Virgin crushing the serpent of sin, helped by the foot of her Son, cancelling out original sin. The third figure is Saint Anne, who represents Grace.
As always, Caravaggio’s light and shade are astonishing, and I am sure this masterpiece will leave you speechless.
8 – Raphael’s masterpieces
The Borghese collection boasted more paintings by Raphael than any family after the Medici, in an age when owning a Raphael was a sign of great wealth and distinction. Only two canvases survived sales and dispossessions: the Deposition of Christ and the Lady with a Unicorn.
Would you like to know their story?
The first work has an interesting past. Cardinal Scipione had fallen so deeply in love with this masterpiece that, unable to buy it, he simply decided to steal it from the monastery in Perugia where it was kept.
Being the Pope’s nephew, Scipione committed all sorts of unscrupulous acts to seize masterpieces and enrich his personal collection, confident that he would always go unpunished.
The Lady with a Unicorn of Galleria Borghese, on the other hand, had a different fate: for centuries her true identity was disguised under the guise of Saint Catherine. A cloak and a wheel, the symbol of the saint’s martyrdom, had been added to the painting.
Only the restorations at the beginning of the last century brought the work back to its original form, revealing the true subject.
The young woman portrayed was probably a bride, judging by her sumptuous garments and the ruby jewel, symbol of passion. The animal at her side might be a unicorn (representing the girl’s virginity) or a dog (loyalty), but even the X-rays don’t clearly reveal which of the two creatures was painted first.
Would you ever have thought that art history could be this gripping?
Visiting Galleria Borghese also means immersing yourself in stories like these!
9 – Correggio’s Danaë at Galleria Borghese
This work by Correggio is particularly important because it depicts a theme that had never before been tackled in the history of art.
Do you remember the story of Danaë?
Let me tell it to you briefly!
The legend says that Danaë was locked in a tower by her father, the king, because it had been prophesied that he would die at the hands of his grandson.
Unfortunately for him, Jupiter, having fallen for the young woman, impregnated her in the form of a shower of gold.
The child born of this union is the famous Perseus, the hero who defeated Medusa thanks to the reflection in his shield, and who would rescue Andromeda. In the end he also fulfilled the prophecy, killing his grandfather by accident.
How did this work come to Galleria Borghese?
The canvas was purchased by Camillo, husband of Pauline Bonaparte. It dates back to 1532 and was part, together with three other canvases, of a series of the Loves of Jupiter, painted for the Duke of Mantua, Federico II Gonzaga.
The theme had never been represented, so Correggio’s interpretation is remarkably innovative.
As you can see, the scene is especially intimate, heightened by the presence of the two cupids testing the purity of the gold on a touchstone.
10 – The two paintings by Titian at Galleria Borghese
There are two works by Titian kept at Galleria Borghese.
The most famous is certainly Sacred and Profane Love, dating back to around 1515. Here two women are seated on a fountain, one naked and one dressed, representing respectively sacred love (naked because pure and spotless) and profane love (dressed in a wedding gown).
The meaning of this work can only be grasped once you put it in context: it was a wedding gift that accompanied many other presents.
The other painting, from around 1565, depicts Venus Blindfolding Cupid, and here you can appreciate all the art of the mature Titian.
It is fascinating to see the great master’s evolution between an early work and one from his later years.
Borghese Gallery tickets and opening hours
First of all, to visit Galleria Borghese remember that booking is mandatory. Unlike the Vatican Museums or the Capitoline Museums, the museum is not freely accessible, because the spaces are very tight and only a limited number of people are allowed in each day.
There are 5 two-hour slots every day except Mondays. The opening hours of Galleria Borghese are 9 to 11, 11 to 13, 13 to 15, 15 to 17 and 17 to 19.
On Thursdays only, the museum stays open until 9.00 pm.
How to book Galleria Borghese?
My advice is to buy your ticket at least a week in advance and to arrive half an hour before the start of your slot, or you risk not being able to get in.
You can buy your ticket online here, where you will find different options depending on whether you prefer a guided tour or just entry to the gallery.
The only way to visit Galleria Borghese without a reservation is with last-minute tickets, available half an hour after the start of each slot. I don’t recommend them, for two reasons: you will have only an hour and a half to visit the gallery, and there is no guarantee they will be available, since the number changes each time, so you may well come away empty-handed.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that bags, handbags, umbrellas and backpacks must be left in the cloakroom, because the spaces are very tight and there is a risk of damaging the works. Only small bum bags and very small purses, without studs, are allowed.
But don’t worry, because the Galleria Borghese cloakroom is free, staffed and very secure.
Can you take photos at Galleria Borghese?
The answer is “yes”, but without flash.
If you want to eat at Galleria Borghese, there is a café on the lower ground floor, or you can have a picnic in the garden of Villa Borghese. In summer it is truly beautiful!
The gallery has three floors: floor -1, with the ticket office, café, cloakroom and toilets; floor 0, with the sculptures and the Caravaggios; and floor 1, with the picture gallery. Stairs connect one floor to the next.
If you visit the gallery on the last slot (17/19), note that the ticket office, bookshop and café close at 6.30 pm.
Now all you have to do is plan your visit!
If you love Bernini’s Baroque sculpture, I recommend you carry on with the article on Cupid and Psyche by Canova, another masterpiece you can admire at the Louvre, or with the life and works of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. And if you are in Rome, don’t miss the Vatican Museums. Enjoy your visit to Galleria Borghese!
