Rome, Italy is full of ancient ruins, but it is also awash with works of art by some of the most famous Renaissance and Baroque artists. Discover the most famous artists of the Eternal City and where you can see their iconic works on display.
Miguel Angel
Although largely associated with Florence, Michelangelo worked on various projects in Rome. The Sistine Chapel, located in the Vatican Museums is by far its most impressive claim to fame.
However, he also designed designs for St. Peter’s Basilica, sculpted the incredibly realistic Pieta (located in St. Peter’s), and contributed his artistic sensibilities to various other architectural projects and sculpture works in the city, such as the Piazza del Campidoglio in La Capitoline Hill. His huge marble sculpture of Moses in the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli is also one of his best works in the city of Rome.
Bernini
From elaborate fountains to highly detailed sculptures, Gianlorenzo Bernini’s baroque imprint can be found throughout Rome. The artist’s most famous masterpieces in the Eternal City are the delicate group of marble statues of Apollo and Daphne in the Borghese Gallery and the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona, one of Rome’s most famous fountains.
Benini also worked on several other fountains in Rome and, in Vatican City, he is responsible for the bronze canopy in St. Peter’s Basilica.
A visit to the Borghese Gallery, a former private villa, is a great way to see a wide variety of Bernini’s sculptures, as well as paintings by another famous Baroque artist, Caravaggio. If you plan to visit, reserved tickets are required.
Caravaggio
Caravaggio is a painter known as much for his troubled personal life as for his magnificent portraits, still lifes, and drawings. Born Michelangelo Merisi and known as the “bad boy of the Baroque,” Caravaggio produced some of the most famous paintings of the Baroque period. Caravaggio’s works are particularly easy to see because many of them reside in churches, therefore requiring no admission fee and minimal crowds.
In addition to his paintings in churches, you will find Caravaggio paintings in the Vatican Museums and in two of the best museums in Rome, the Borghese Gallery and the Capitoline Museums.
Raphael
Although he was born and raised in Umbria, Raphael became a star artist in Rome. One of the painter’s most famous compositions, The School of Athens (which apparently impressed Michelangelo with its realistic renderings and vivid colors) is a fresco on the walls of one of the apartments and the Raphael rooms are one of the best things to do. see in the Vatican Museums.
