'Guercino 1591-1666. Masterpieces from Cento and Rome'

Francesco Barbieri's masterworks (also known as Il Guercino, 1591-1666) are displayed until April 29th, 2012 in the National Ancient Art Gallery of Palazzo Barberini in Rome. The exhibition halls of Palazzo Barberini have been recently restored and today they are a museum again (as they were conceived by the architects), and can house this interesting exhibit composed by works coming mostly from museums and collections in Rome and Cento, together with precious pieces from the Fondo Edifici di Culto del Ministero Interni.

The exhibit 'Guercino 1591-1666. Masterpieces from Cento and Rome' chronicles the artist's works from his youth to the adult years, pointing out his artistic evolution. Cento is the town where Guercino spent his youth and developed his skills. His journeys in Italy took him to Rome, in order to work for the Pope Ludovisi. While you are walking along the rooms in Palazzo Barberini you can get a good look at his artistic career, discovering the extraordinary atmospheres of his first years and then the happy harmony found between Caravaggio and the classical world.

This exhibition is also an homage to Sir Denis Mahon, the great art scholar who recently passed away, and who helped discover and recover a lot of 17th century Italian artists from Caravaggio to Guido Reni and Guercino.