Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...

Archbishop of Reims The Archdiocese of Reims or Rheims (; French language, French: ''Archidiocèse de Reims'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastic territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese around 250 by Sixtus of Reims, the diocese w ...

cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew (; ; ; ; )Signorotto and Visceglia, 2002, p. 114. Modern French scholarly literature uses the term "cardinal-neveu'". was a Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal elevated by a pope who was that cardinal's relative. The practice of c ...

Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII (; ; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal terri ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

papal conclave A conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to appoint the pope of the Catholic Church. Catholics consider the pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head of the Catholic Church. Concerns around ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Antonio Marcello Barberini Antonio Marcello Barberini, Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, OFMCap (18 November 1569 – 11 September 1646) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

Collegio Romano The Roman College (, ) was a school established by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1551, just 11 years after he founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). It quickly grew to include classes from elementary school through university level and moved to seve ...

Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII (; ; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal terri ...

Antonio Marcello Barberini Antonio Marcello Barberini, Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, OFMCap (18 November 1569 – 11 September 1646) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinalcardinal nephews, Urban also elevated Antonio's older brother Francesco Barberini to the rank of cardinal. Urban's famous nepotism wasn't sufficiently quelled by the appointment of one cardinal-nephew. Less than a month after his 20th birthday and without having established an ecclesiastic career of his own, Antonio Barberini was appointed as a cardinal on 30 August 1627. His elevation was made ''

in pectore (Latin for 'in the breast/heart') is a term used in the Catholic Church for an action, decision, or document which is meant to be kept secret. It is most often used when there is a papal appointment to the College of Cardinals without a public ...

'' and was published on 7 February 1628. Urban also purchased the

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

of the town of

Palestrina Palestrina (ancient ''Praeneste''; , ''Prainestos'') is a modern Italian city and ''comune'' (municipality) with a population of about 22,000, in Lazio, about east of Rome. It is connected to the latter by the Via Prenestina. It is built upon ...

outside Rome, and Antonio's other brother, Taddeo Barberini, became the ''Prince of Palestrina''.''Papal Genealogy: The Families And Descendants Of The Popes''
by George L. Williams (McFarland, 2004) In 1628, Antonio was appointed Prefect of the

Apostolic Signatura The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura () is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church (apart from the pope himself, who as supreme ecclesiastical judge is the final point of appeal on any ecclesiastical matter). In addition, ...

, in 1630 he was made the papal legate in

Urbino Urbino ( , ; Romagnol: ''Urbìn'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italy, Italian region of Marche, southwest of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially und ...

and in 1633 he became legate in

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

where he developed close contacts with various French church power brokers. During his time in France he became unwell and employed Joseph Barsalou as his ''private physician''. He returned to Rome and assumed the post of

Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church The camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church is an office of the papal household that administers the property and revenues of the Holy See. Formerly, his responsibilities included the fiscal administration of the Patrimony of Saint Peter. As regu ...

in 1638. In 1636, against the wish of his uncle the Pope, he accepted the post of Crown-Cardinal-Protector of the Kingdom of France.''Court and Politics in Papal Rome, 1492-1700''
by Gianvittorio Signorotto & Maria Antonietta Visceglia (

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...

, 2002) It has been estimated that during Urban's 21-year pontificate, Barberini amassed more than 63 million scudi in personal wealth.

The Wars of Castro

In 1639 Odoardo Farnese,

Duke of Parma The Duke of Parma and Piacenza () was the ruler of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, a List of historic states of Italy, historical state of Northern Italy. It was created by Pope Paul III (Alessandro Farnese) for his son Pier Luigi Farnese, Du ...

and

Piacenza Piacenza (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Piacenza, eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with more ...

, came to Rome. During his visit he insulted Antonio and his brother Francesco by suggesting to the Pope that the brothers were too young to manage the Pope's affairs.''History of the popes; their church and state (Volume III)''
by Leopold von Ranke (

Wellesley College Wellesley College is a Private university, private Women's colleges in the United States, historically women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1870 by Henr ...

Library, 2009) Pope Urban responded by banning grain shipments from Farnese controlled areas. When the Farnese were then unable to pay their debts the Pope sent debt collectors.''The Duchy of Castro''
by Roberto Piperno (last revised: May 2012) Finally the Pope send troops to occupy Castro. The Pope's forces (12,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry) were led by Antonio, his brother Taddeo and

mercenary A mercenary is a private individual who joins an armed conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any other official military. Mercenaries fight for money or other forms of payment rather t ...

field commander Luigi Mattei. Castro fell to Urban's forces without significant resistance and the victory was celebrated in song by

Barberini The House of Barberini is a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in the 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII. Their urban pal ...

family composer, Marco Marazzoli. But the victory was short lived and thereafter Antonio and his troops suffered a series of decisive losses and Antonio himself was almost captured. Pope Urban was forced to accept defeat and signed a

peace treaty A peace treaty is an treaty, agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually country, countries or governments, which formally ends a declaration of war, state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an ag ...

with the Farnese Dukes in an attempt to prevent them from marching on Rome itself. When Urban died, the

Church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

was facing financial struggle, the cardinals (despite

francophile A Francophile is a person who has a strong affinity towards any or all of the French language, History of France, French history, Culture of France, French culture and/or French people. That affinity may include France itself or its history, lang ...

Urban's nepotism) were divided between France and Spain and the Farnese were moving toward Rome with a mercenary army in tow.''Pope Alexander the Seventh and the College of Cardinals''
by

John Bargrave John Bargrave (1610 – 11 May 1680), was an English people, English author and collector and a canon (priest), canon of Canterbury Cathedral.''Under the Sign: John Bargrave as Collector, Traveler, and Witness'' by Stephen Bann, Michigan, 1995 E ...

, edited by James Craigie Robertson (reprint; 2009)

Pontificate of Innocent X

Antonio had developed a strong relationship with Cardinal Jules Mazarin and was given responsibility for the French contingent within the

College of Cardinals The College of Cardinals (), also called the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. there are cardinals, of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Appointed by the pope, ...

and for the nomination of Giulio Cesare Sacchetti at the papal conclave of 1644 which was to pick his uncle's successor. But his efforts were in vain and the Spanish nominee, Giovanni Battista Pamphili (of the powerful Pamphili family), was elected as

Pope Innocent X Pope Innocent X (6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death, in January 1655. Born in Rome of a family fro ...

. Antonio's brother Francesco had sided with the Spanish and split the conclave and it was his negotiations that resulted in Pamphili's election. The final deal in Pamphili's favour included an agreement, designed by the brothers for their own benefit, that the new Pope would allow the Barberini to keep the titles, land and fortunes they had amassed under Pope Urban VIII's reign. Mazarin became so angry because of Antonio's attitude that he deprived him of the protectorate of the Kingdom of France. However, the conflict was of short duration and both cardinals quickly reconciled with each other. For reasons unknown,

Pope Innocent X Pope Innocent X (6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death, in January 1655. Born in Rome of a family fro ...

reneged on the deal and Antonio and his brother Taddeo were accused of financial abuses during the War of Castro. The two went into exile in 1645 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

under the protection of Cardinal Mazarin, and were joined a year later by Francesco. Before leaving Rome, Antonio had the crest of the

King of France France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I, king of the Fra ...

affixed above his door as a warning to his political rivals that he was now protected by the French Kingdom. Taddeo Barberini's wife, Anna Colonna made a passionate plea, in person, to the Pope and the

Barberini The House of Barberini is a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in the 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII. Their urban pal ...

were granted permission to keep their property but the family remained in exile until 1647. The family was finally reconciled with Pope in 1653 when Antonio's nephew (Taddeo's son)

Maffeo Barberini Pope Urban VIII (; ; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal terri ...

married the Pope's grand-niece Olimpia Giustiniani. The reconciliation was, in part, engineered by Cardinal Mazarin and Antonio showed his appreciation by holding celebratory services at the

San Luigi dei Francesi The Church of St. Louis of the French (, , ) is a Catholic Church, Catholic church near Piazza Navona in Rome. The church is dedicated to the patron saints of France: Virgin Mary, Dionysius the Areopagite and King Louis IX of France. The churc ...

(Church of St. Louis of the French).

Pontificate of Alexander VII

Carlo Maratta - Portrait of Cardinal Antonio Barberini

When Innocent X died in 1655, Antonio Barberini again played a leading role in the

College of Cardinals The College of Cardinals (), also called the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. there are cardinals, of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Appointed by the pope, ...

and the

conclave A conclave is a gathering of the College of Cardinals convened to appoint the pope of the Catholic Church. Catholics consider the pope to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and the earthly head of the Catholic Church. Concerns around ...

. Again, Antonio and the French nominated Giulio Cesare Sacchetti but he was vetoed by the Spanish. The fractured college came together to support Fabio Chigi, who was elected and took office as

Pope Alexander VII Pope Alexander VII (; 13 February 159922 May 1667), born Fabio Chigi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 April 1655 to his death, in May 1667. He began his career as a vice- papal legate, and he held various d ...

. Later that year he was ordained Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati. About that time he changed his dissolute lifestyle, devoted himself to religion and became strongly involved in the campaign against Jansenism. King

Louis XIV of France LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

had previously nominated him (in 1653) as Bishop of Poitiers but the nomination was never ratified by the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

.''Likely due to his conflicts with the Pope which were not completely repaired until later that year.'' Four years later, (1657) the King brought him back to France and transferred him to the Archdiocese of Reims but it took a further decade (1667) before the pope confirmed the post. For many years he served as Grand Almoner of the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...

. In 1661 he was appointed Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina, the diocese that covered the Barberini family

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

of

Palestrina Palestrina (ancient ''Praeneste''; , ''Prainestos'') is a modern Italian city and ''comune'' (municipality) with a population of about 22,000, in Lazio, about east of Rome. It is connected to the latter by the Via Prenestina. It is built upon ...

.

Later life

Barberini participated in the papal conclave of 1667 during which the French delegation successfully campaigned for the election of Giulio Rospigliosi (

Pope Clement IX Pope Clement IX (; ; 28 January 1600 – 9 December 1669), born Giulio Rospigliosi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 20 June 1667 to his death in December 1669. Giulio Rospigliosi was born into the noble Ro ...

).''Though it seems by this stage Antonio and his brother Francesco were working together in a larger contingent of Cardinals who had been elevated by Pope Urban VIII.'' He also participated in the conclave of 1669-1670 at which Emilio Altieri was elected as Pope Clement X. He became Vice-Dean of the

Sacred College of Cardinals Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

in March 1671; the dean at that time was his older brother Francesco. He died in

Nemi Nemi is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome (central Italy), in the Alban Hills overlooking Lake Nemi, a volcanic crater lake. It is northwest of Velletri and about southeast of Rome. The town's name derives from the Lati ...

on 3 August 1671, two days before his 64th birthday.

Private life

Coat of Arms of Cardinal Antonio Barberini

Contemporaries widely commented on Barberini's very dissolute conduct during the pontificate of his uncle. According to Gregorio Leti, "The great inclination he has had to women hath been no small blemish to his reputation".''Mistress of the Vatican''
by Eleanor Herman (

HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...

, 2009) Contemporary

John Bargrave John Bargrave (1610 – 11 May 1680), was an English people, English author and collector and a canon (priest), canon of Canterbury Cathedral.''Under the Sign: John Bargrave as Collector, Traveler, and Witness'' by Stephen Bann, Michigan, 1995 E ...

, who met Barberini while he was travelling through the

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

on his way to exile in France, also made comment on Barberini's "vicious deportments" and "life full of liberty and debauchery". According to the controversial anonymous text ''The Scarlet Gown'' (a tabloid published in 1653 listing the vices of each living cardinal of the day), Barberini had a number of

mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a female lover of a married man ** Royal mistress * Maîtresse-en-titre, official mistress of a ...

es including one he had whipped for flaunting herself during ''Carnivale'' and another who died mysteriously while carrying his child. Barberini was also, apparently, involved in several affairs with men. He became particularly intimate with the

castrato A castrato (Italian; : castrati) is a male singer who underwent castration before puberty in order to retain a singing voice equivalent to that of a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto. The voice can also occur in one who, due to an endocrino ...

singer

Marc'Antonio Pasqualini image:Marcantonio Pasqualini crowned by Apollo.jpg, ''Marcantonio Pasqualini Crowned by Apollo'' (1641) by Andrea Sacchi. Marco Antonio Pasqualini (stage name Malagigi; Rome, 25 April 1614 – Rome, 2 July 1691) was an Italian castrato opera sing ...

in the early 1640s. Contemporary testimony leaves little doubt that the "veritable passion" the cardinal felt extended to more than Pasqualini's beautiful voice. According to some historians, the scandal of his alleged homosexual relationships was the "talk of the town". However, in his later life he underwent conversion, changed his lifestyle and became deeply religious.

Patronage of the arts

Music

Antonio Barberini was patron to a number of significant musicians and composers of 17th century

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

including Marco Marazzoli who he commissioned to compose various works which praised the actions of the

Barberini The House of Barberini is a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in the 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII. Their urban pal ...

family. Marazzoli was appointed Antonio Barberini's '' aiutante di camera'' and became a tenor in the papal chapel that same year; in 1639 he was awarded the position of ''musico'' under

Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII (; ; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal terri ...

. Marazzoli composed ''Le armi e gli amori'' to be given at Carnival 1655, but the papal conclave of 1655 interrupted production, and it was not given until 1656, alongside ''Dal male e bene'' and Marazzoli's latest opera, ''Vita humana'' which was composed to honor the visit of

Queen Christina of Sweden Christina (; 18 December O.S. 8 December">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Old Style and New Style dates">O.S. 8 December1626 – 19 April 1689), a member of the House of Vasa, was Monarchy of Sweden, Queen of Sweden from ...

.''Celebrations were held at the Palazzo Barberini honouring the Queen's visit'' '' Fiori musicali'' was dedicated to Antonio Barberini in 1635. He was also said to have been a patron of Luigi Rossi. Outside their intimate relationship, Antonio Barberini was an ongoing patron of

Marc'Antonio Pasqualini image:Marcantonio Pasqualini crowned by Apollo.jpg, ''Marcantonio Pasqualini Crowned by Apollo'' (1641) by Andrea Sacchi. Marco Antonio Pasqualini (stage name Malagigi; Rome, 25 April 1614 – Rome, 2 July 1691) was an Italian castrato opera sing ...

.

Architecture

In 1627, the Barberini family commissioned the architect

Carlo Maderno Carlo Maderno or Maderna (1556 – 31 January 1629) was an Italian architect, born in today's Ticino, Switzerland, who is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. His façades of Santa Susanna, St. Peter's Basilica, and Sant ...

to adapt and extend the Palazzo Sforza that they had purchased, into the

Palazzo Barberini The Palazzo Barberini () is a 17th-century palace in Rome, facing the Piazza Barberini in Rione Trevi. Today, it houses the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, the main national collection of older paintings in Rome. History Around 1549 Cardinal ...

. In this work, Maderno was assisted by his relative

Francesco Borromini Francesco Borromini (, ), byname of Francesco Castelli (; 25 September 1599 – 2 August 1667), was an Italian architect born in the modern Switzerland, Swiss canton of Ticino

. When Maderno died in 1629, Borromini was passed over and the commission was awarded to

Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, ; ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 1598 – 28 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor ...

, a young prodigy then better known as a sculptor. Borromini stayed on and the two architects worked together; later in their careers fierce rivalries would develop. The palace was completed in 1633. Prior to his election, Pope Urban VIII had been a member of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. Antonio Barberini was appointed prefect of the Congregation and set about commissioning a new palace, the Palazzo del Propaganda Fide. The construction was started by close Barberini family friend

Gianlorenzo Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, ; ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 1598 – 28 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor ...

. In 1644, when Antonio was exiled, Bernini was replaced by Borromini who demolished Bernini's chapel and built his own design; the chapel is considered one of Borromini's masterpieces. Antonio and his brothers also commissioned the Teatro delle Quattro Fontane (or ''Theatre of the Four Fountains''); an

opera house An opera house is a theater building used for performances of opera. Like many theaters, it usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, backstage facilities for costumes and building sets, as well as offices for the institut ...

in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

and built in 1632. It was located in ''Via delle Quattro Fontane'', near the

Piazza Barberini Piazza Barberini is a large piazza in the ''centro storico'' or city center of Rome, Italy and situated on the Quirinal Hill. It was created in the 16th century but many of the surrounding buildings have subsequently been rebuilt. History The s ...

and the Quattro Fontane or ''Four Fountains''.

Art

150px, Caravaggio's ''Cardsharps'' (c. 1594) which later came into the collection of Antonio Barberini. Though Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio died when Antonio Barberini was only 3 years old, the Cardinal later became a great admirer of his work and his extensive art collection included Caravaggio's paintings such as '' Still Life with Fruit'', '' Cardsharps'' and '' The Lute Player''. Antonio had purchased the art collection of

Francesco Maria Del Monte Francesco Maria del Monte, full name Francesco Maria Bourbon del Monte Santa Maria, (5 July 1549 – 27 August 1627) was an Italian cardinal, diplomat, and connoisseur of the arts. His fame today rests on his early patronage of the important Bar ...

upon the cardinal's death which had included a large number of important works. Pope Urban VIII had purchased a number of works directly from Caravaggio and it is likely Antonio also inherited a number of these. An inventory of Antonio's assets was compiled upon his death in 1671 which included a large number of such artworks by artists of the period. Antonio commissioned Lorenzo Ottoni to complete a number of

Barberini The House of Barberini is a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in the 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII. Their urban pal ...

family sculptures including that of his nephew

Maffeo Barberini Pope Urban VIII (; ; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death, in July 1644. As pope, he expanded the papal terri ...

. Antonio and his uncle also commissioned the painter Andrea Sacchi to complete various works at Antonio's Capuchin church and at the

Palazzo Barberini The Palazzo Barberini () is a 17th-century palace in Rome, facing the Piazza Barberini in Rione Trevi. Today, it houses the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, the main national collection of older paintings in Rome. History Around 1549 Cardinal ...

. Today the Palazzo Barberini houses the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, one of the most important painting collections in Italy.''Galleria Nazionale d'arte Antica Palazzo Barberini: I Dipinti. Catalogo Sistematico''
by L. Mochi Onori, Rossella Vodret Adamo (L'erma di Bretschneider, 2008) Today, a portrait of Antonio by

Carlo Maratta Carlo Maratta or Maratti (18 May 162515 December 1713) was an Italian Baroque painter and Drawing, draughtsman, active principallly in Rome where he was the leading painter in the second half of the 17th century. He was a fresco and canvas painte ...

hangs at

Alnwick Castle Alnwick Castle () is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland, 12th Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman Conquest and renovated an ...

in

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

, UK, where Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland, acquired a number of Barberini-owned pictures in the mid-nineteenth century.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barberini, Antonio 1607 births 1671 deaths

Antonio Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan language, Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top ...

Clergy from Rome 17th-century Italian cardinals Cardinal-bishops of Frascati Cardinal-bishops of Palestrina Cardinal-bishops of Sabina Archbishops of Reims Cardinal-nephews Cardinals created by Pope Urban VIII Camerlengos of the Holy Roman Church 17th-century peers of France Italian art patrons 17th-century philanthropists 17th-century Italian Roman Catholic archbishops

Pontificate of Urban VIII

The Wars of Castro

Pontificate of Innocent X

Pontificate of Alexander VII

Later life

Private life

Patronage of the arts

Music

Architecture

Art

Notes

References