Palazzo Barberini was designed by Maderno, and built on the site of the previous Villa Sforza, for Maffeo Barberini, who became pope with the title of Urban VIII. On Maderno’s death in 1629, Gian Lorenzo Bernini took control of construction.
One of his collaborators was Francesco Borromini. The great hall was decorated by Pietro da Cortona, who worked on it from 1633 to 1639: the allegorical theme centres on the “Triumph of Providence” and was intended to exalt the glory of the papal family.
The Gallery includes works of Giulio Romano, Raffaello Sanzio, Perugino, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Tiziano, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Tiepolo, Hans Holbein, N. Poussin, etc.
