"This is a work of exceptional importance. We had the objective of making an artistic masterpiece that would otherwise be destined for the art market accessible to scholars and enthusiasts."
"Nobody ever questioned its provenance. We have always been extremely convinced of Caravaggio's signature: the photos left no doubt [about who the artist was]."
"Caravaggio is the most iconic and famous painter in the world. It is a lot of money but also affordable. It could have been worth much more."
Italy acquired a Caravaggio portrait depicting Maffeo Barberini, the future Pope Urban VIII, for €30 million following over a year of negotiations with Florentine private owners. The painting, created between 1598 and 1603, portrays Barberini holding papers and gesturing with instructions. The work will join the permanent collection at Palazzo Barberini in Rome, a former residence now housing the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli emphasized the acquisition's importance in making an exceptional masterpiece accessible to scholars and enthusiasts rather than allowing it to enter the private art market. The portrait has been exhibited only once since its attribution to Caravaggio by art historian Roberto Longhi in 1963, and its authenticity has never been questioned.
Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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