Sirani primarily celebrates Portia as a courageous heroine, but also pays homage to the work’s intended owner
Baroque Italy
Did Peter sit here? Dizzying but unified, light and gold glorify this sacred place.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Cathedra Petri (Chair of ...
Gentileschi's Mary Magdalene chooses between a spiritual and worldly path.
Artemisia Gentileschi, Conversion of the Magdalene
The altar tabernacle of the Pauline Chapel at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome repackages a medieval icon and turns it into a dazzling Baroque trophy.
The altar tabernacle, Pauline Chapel, Santa Maria ...
Created at a dramatic moment in European history, this explosive ceiling fresco celebrates the triumph of Jesus.
Il Gesù, Rome
Artemisia Gentileschi's image of Judith and her maidservant powerfully showcases the artist's ability to create a dramatic moment
Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith and Her Maidservant with ...
Restoration of ancient sculptures was a big business in 17th-century Rome.
Restoring ancient sculpture in Baroque Rome
That hoof, that sword—everything is so close! This chapel gives us a privileged view of a private conversion.
Caravaggio, The Conversion of St. Paul (or ...
Pozzo’s fresco reaffirms the authority of the Catholic Church and hails its expansion across four continents.
Andrea Pozzo, Glorification of Saint Ignatius
Lord, where are you going? As Peter recoils in astonishment, a muscular Jesus points the way to Rome.
Annibale Carracci, Christ Appearing to Saint Peter ...
Pluto hoists up Proserpina. She resists, pushing him away. Their desires clash, creating a dynamic composition.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Pluto and Proserpina (or The ...
She’s a monster, but in this poignant marble bust, Medusa becomes a victim of her own plight.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Bust of Medusa
Uniting spiritual and earthly realms, Caravaggio has left a space open for us in this circle of mourners.
Caravaggio, Death of the Virgin
Embracing his own reflection, Narcissus falls in love with himself—and into the water. Good thing it’s just paint!
Caravaggio, Narcissus at the Source
A world turned upside down? Caravaggio not only upends St. Peter, but also turns artistic convention on its head.
Caravaggio, Crucifixion of St. Peter
As the apostle’s tattered green shirt suggests, this is a rough and tumble world, far from the pomp of the Church.
Caravaggio, The Supper at Emmaus
The Baroque doesn’t have to be loud, as this intimate and quiet sculpture demonstrates so well.
Pierre Le Gros the Younger, Stanislas Kostka ...
No wonder this interior space feels sculptural—the architect was a stone cutter by trade.
Francesco Borromini, San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, ...
Central to the Counter Reformation, Bernini’s double colonnades activate St. Peter’s and reach out into the city.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini, St. Peter’s Square
Skin transforms into bark, limbs sprout branches, and stone softens into flesh. What a perfect subject for Bernini.
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