Valentin de Boulogne: Allegory of Italy

The monumental painting Allegory of Italy (1628–29) by Valentin de Boulogne (1591–1632) will be deposited at the Sinebrychoff Art Museum during the renovation of the Villa Lante, the Finnish Institute in Rome. Valentin is one of Caravaggio’s (1571–1610) closest followers. The mini-exhibition will present to the public the unique historical context of the painting.

The painting was commissioned by Cardinal Francesco Barberini. The workalludes to the achievements of the family and its position at the top of the Rome elite. The family’s position in Rome and Italy culminated in 1623, when Francesco Barberini’s uncle Maffeo Barberini became Pope Urban VIII. In the Barberinis’ new palace, Allegory of Italy was displayed in a place of honour.

An allegory is a metaphor or a metaphorical representation. In the painting, allegorical content is combined with the use of live models and an idiom based on naturalism. The young woman depicted in the work symbolises Italy, the figure in the foreground on the left symbolises the Tiber river in Rome, and the figure in the foreground on the right symbolises the Arno river in Florence. The details of the painting link the work to the Barberini family.

Sinebrychoff Art Museum, 2nd floor

6.9.2023-12.1.2025

Free entry