Thursday 29 May: Borghese in the rain

This morning it rained, but Gary and I didn’t care. We had timed admission to the Galleria Borghese, one of the world’s great art collections. The Villa Borghese is a park in the north of Rome, once a private estate of the Borghese, a princely family with many members serving as cardinals and Pope throughout the centuries. One of these was a great collector of ancient Greek and Roman art, and patron of artists of his day. The Villa Borghese was founded as a private park, with a palace in the center to display the art collection. Through the centuries the family added to the collection. A later prince married Napoleon’s sister Pauline. She posed nude for the sculptor Canova in the early 19th century; this statue is in the collection. Eventually the city bought the entire park and palace, which were then made available to the public.
The Galleria Borghese is one of the greatest art collections open to the public. The first floor is sculpture, including works of classical antiquity and later European sculptors. There are several works by Bernini, including his famous Apollo and Daphne, an amazing work showing the god pursuing the nymph, who turns into a tree to escape his amorous advances. The second floor of the palace features an incredible collection of painting, mostly Italian, and includes major works by Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Correggio, and other masters of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. If you ever get to Rome, and you have any interest at all in art, you must go to the Galleria Borghese!
The park of the Villa Borghese is a beautiful place to stroll, boat, and picnic. It was raining today, so Gary and I did not stay. I had been here in April with Beth, and Gary and I had a picnic here three years ago. I am sure we will be back before we leave Italy.