Exhibition "Vasari and Rome" - Capitoline Museums (Accessible Route)

Museo: Mostra "Vasari e Roma" - Musei Capitolini

0. Welcome to the exhibition "Vasari and Rome"

Welcome to this exhibition dedicated to Giorgio Vasari, a central figure of the Renaissance who embodied the ideal of the universal artist. Born in Arezzo in 1511 and died in Florence in 1574, Vasari found in Rome not only the epicentre of his elevated artistic training, but also the fertile ground for the birth of his most celebrated work: The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects. This exhibition aims to illustrate how his Roman experiences between 1532 and 1553 shaped his pictorial and architectural language, leading him to become the foremost interpreter of the decorative enterprises of the so-called "Modern Manner." Through a journey divided into four chronological sections, we will explore the profound bond between the artist and the great patrons of the era, from Cardinals Ippolito de' Medici and Alessandro Farnese to the pontiffs Julius III, Pius V, and Gregory XIII. Rome represented for him a continuous challenge, a place of tireless study of the Antique and of the works of Raphael and Michelangelo, but also the space in which to consolidate friendships with men of letters and scholars such as Paolo Giovio and Annibal Caro. Following in Vasari's footsteps through monumental building sites and theoretical reflections, you will discover how his vision defined the history of art for centuries to come, uniting architecture, painting, and sculpture in an inseparable bond. We now invite you to immerse yourself in this artistic journey, allowing yourselves to be guided by the works that bear witness to the greatness of a multifaceted genius.

I - Vasari in Rome in 1532 and 1538: the study of antiquity and of Raphael

In this first room, we focus on Vasari's Roman sojourns of 1532 and 1538, crucial periods in the definition of his early style. Upon his arrival in Rome, barely twenty years old, in the retinue of Cardinal Ippolito de' Medici, the artist found a city that was laboriously recovering from the devastation of the Sack of 1527. Together with his faithful friend Francesco Salviati, Vasari devoted himself to a compulsive exercise in drawing, portraying every "notable thing" in the city, from the Vatican statues such as the Apollo Belvedere and the Laocoön to the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. This thorough study was not limited to painting alone, but extended to ancient and modern architecture, forming that repertoire of models that Vasari would draw upon throughout his entire life. For Ippolito de' Medici, he initially painted secular works that are today lost, or not identified with certainty, but it was his return to Florence and the subsequent commissions that allowed him to apply the lessons learned in the Eternal City. His artistic research moved between the rigour of Tuscan draughtsmanship, influenced by masters such as Rosso Fiorentino, and the desire to emulate the soft glazes and mystical luminosity of Raphael, especially after his second return from Rome in 1538. This section documents precisely this delicate balance between the legacy of the Florentine tradition and the new, formidable career prospects that the Roman panorama offered to an artist eager to make his mark in the most prestigious courts of the era.

1.1. Giorgio Vasari, Portrait of a Gentleman (1540-1550 ca.)

The portrait before you, approximately 90 centimetres tall and 64 centimetres wide, is painted in oil on poplar wood panel (like the celebrated Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, housed in the Musée du Louvre). The painting depicts a young man shown half-length, positioned slightly at three-quarters, turned towards his right, dressed in elegant attire typical of Renaissance Florence. The figure occupies the entire compositional space. Running your fingers over the relief surface of the panel, you can feel that the Florentine gentleman is wearing a red zuccotto, a typical headwear of the period. Dark hair emerges from beneath this small, close-fitting cap. The face is oval, with regular features; the forehead is broad, the eyebrows are thin but well-defined; the nose is long and straight, the eyes are large and slightly deep-set. His gaze is serious and composed. The mouth, closed and thin, lends him a calm and refined expression, and the chin is rounded. The light, coming from the left, illuminates one half of the face while leaving the other in a gentle shadow, giving volume and depth to his features. The man emerges from a dark, uniform background that highlights the facial features and the details of his clothing. Moving downwards, you can feel the broad shoulders, covered by a heavy garment. The fabric appears thick and structured, with soft folds falling along the torso. He wears a doublet in delicate, rosy tones, beneath which a shirt with a barely suggested collar is visible. At the bottom, hanging from the belt, an open scarsella (a typical purse of the period) is suspended. In his right hand, the man elegantly holds a pair of leather gloves, while his other hand rests on his left hip. At the centre of the composition, a brilliantly white, luminous handkerchief protrudes from the purse, creating a strong point of chromatic contrast against the darker colours of the clothing and background. In the painting, therefore, the handkerchief is not merely a realistic detail: it also serves to convey the elegance and understated wealth of the gentleman. Although Giorgio Vasari painted this work in the full height of the sixteenth century, he chose to dress the man in the fashion of the late fifteenth century. The artist from Arezzo, author of the celebrated text "Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects", does not simply produce a portrait but, through a kind of outward celebration of past glory, performs an act of historical remembrance, at a time when the city of Florence had already lost its ancient republican freedom.

II. At the court of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese: the Hall of the Hundred Days and the "foreign" artists (1542-1546)

In the second room, we enter the heart of Vasari's Roman success, a period dominated by his association with the powerful Cardinal Alessandro Farnese between 1542 and 1546. Thanks to the intermediation of the banker Bindo Altoviti and the scholar Paolo Giovio, Vasari managed to make his way into the exclusive Farnese circle, an international and cultured environment where he collaborated with artists defined as "foreigners" such as Gaspar Becerra and Giorgio Giulio Clovio. It was precisely in this context that Giorgio Vasari received his first major monumental commission: the decoration of the Sala dei Cento Giorni (Hall of the Hundred Days) in the Palazzo della Cancelleria. This monumental work, completed in record time in 1546, was conceived as an apologia for the policies of Pope Paul III Farnese, celebrated as a mediator of peace and patron of the arts. In order to manage building projects of such scope, the artist developed a working method based on rigorous graphic preparation and collaboration with specialised craftsmen, an approach that anticipated his future undertakings for the Medici in Florence. The Farnese court was not only a place of artistic production, but also the centre of erudite discussions that would lead to the birth of the Lives of the Artists. During these years, Vasari established himself as the painter capable of translating into images the complex philosophical and political allegories suggested by the Cardinal's men of letters, consolidating his reputation as a master of the "Modern Manner" (Maniera Moderna), able to unite the prestige of Michelangelo's draughtsmanship with the elegance of the Vatican's architectural decorative schemes.

2.1 Giorgio Vasari, Resurrection of Christ (1550)

Welcome before this imposing work by Giorgio Vasari, standing over two metres tall and one and a half metres wide. It is a wooden panel, painted in oil in 1550 for the private collection of the wealthy Florentine banker Filippo di Averardo Salviati. The scene, depicting the Resurrection of Christ, is dominated by a strong sense of movement that develops vertically. At the top, a clear and open sky suggests light and hope, as if the entire world were witness to the miraculous event. At the centre of the upper part of the tactile panel is the figure of the risen Christ, who stands luminous in the painting. He is depicted above the open sepulchre. His body is elongated and twisted in a dynamic, almost dancing pose, typical of Vasari's style. His head is turned to his right and his gaze is directed upward. The face is free of tension or effort, with an expression of serenity that seems to communicate victory and peace. His hair is wavy and shoulder-length, falling to either side of his head, leaving his face and left ear uncovered. The beard, which covers part of his cheeks, frames the oval of his high forehead and slightly elongated chin. The nose is unobtrusive and harmonious. The mouth is small and closed, with thin lips. Christ's right arm is raised upward in a gesture of victory and blessing. The palm of his left hand supports the long staff of the white banner bearing a red cross, symbol of the Resurrection and of triumph over death. His legs are elongated and slightly bent, in continuity with the torso turned to his left, emphasising the upward movement. His feet are apart, barely resting on their tips upon the sepulchre, conveying a sense of movement and lightness. A sky-blue drape falls from his shoulders in fluid, soft folds, floating in the air and wrapping around part of his hips while leaving the torso uncovered. In sharp contrast to the divine serenity of Christ, the lower part of the painting is dense and animated. Here we find the Roman soldiers, posted to guard the sepulchre, reacting with very human astonishment to the miracle. They adopt complex, sculptural poses; some attempt to shield their eyes from the intense light, while others recoil in fear, heightening the dramatic quality of the scene. You can explore the figure of the soldier in the foreground on the tactile panel: he is semi-recumbent in the lower part of the composition. He wears a helmet, breastplate, a short tunic, and sandals. His head is tilted downward, his neck appears relaxed, his face is free of tension, and his eyes are closed. The soldier's muscular body assumes an unguarded position, with the torso slightly rotated toward the viewer and the legs bent naturally in the opposite direction. His right arm is flexed and resting on his shield, while his left arm lies abandoned on his relaxed and weary body, as if yielding before the miracle. The shield is a highly significant element, for it is no longer an instrument of defence but a support that communicates a loss of control and helplessness, reinforcing the contrast with the triumphant figure of Christ. Vasari painted this panel in Florence while he was designing important monuments in Rome for Pope Julius III Del Monte. The work is therefore a bridge: it unites the intimacy of a painting intended for a private collection with the grandeur of monumental Roman projects, thereby conferring emotional emphasis and theatricality.

III. Vasari and Michelangelo and the works for Pope Julius III Ciocchi Del Monte (1550-1555)

The third section takes us to the heart of Vasari's literary project and his service under Pope Julius III Del Monte between 1550 and 1555. It was during the evenings spent at the court of Cardinal Farnese, in discussion with men of letters such as Paolo Giovio and Annibal Caro, that the idea of writing a treatise on illustrious artists was born. Vasari, embracing the Cardinal's suggestion to provide an "orderly account" of artists from Cimabue to his own time, set to work on the Lives, first published in 1550. This monumental book was founded on the primacy of Disegno — the concept of drawing as the fundamental principle underlying all the visual arts — and celebrated Michelangelo as the unsurpassable model who embodied all three of the major arts. At the same time, the election of Julius III, his former patron, offered Vasari the opportunity to undertake great architectural enterprises. Despite certain disappointments, such as his partial exclusion from the final project of Villa Giulia in favour of Michelangelo and Vignola, Vasari remained a key figure at the papal court. He worked tirelessly on the Del Monte Chapel in San Pietro in Montorio, decorating it with stuccoes and paintings, and continued to serve the Florentine community in Rome through his long and sometimes difficult relationship with Bindo Altoviti. This section thus illustrates a moment of extraordinary creative intensity, in which theoretical reflection on art interweaves with the daily practice of building sites, consolidating Vasari's role as architect, painter, and the first true historian of modern art.

3.1 Giorgio Vasari, Eucharistic Christ (1555 ca.)

This small drawing, approximately 29 by 20 centimetres, executed on paper primarily in red chalk, depicts Christ as a full-length figure. The slender body is positioned at the centre of the sheet, accompanied by just three elements: the chalice as a symbol of the Eucharist, a host suspended above it, and the vertical shaft of the cross. The torso is upright but slightly turned to the right of the composition, creating a gentle sense of movement. The head is oval and slightly elongated in shape. The eyes are cast downward, gazing with tenderness at the Eucharistic chalice placed at his feet. The forehead is broad and smooth, slightly rounded, and the thin, barely suggested eyebrows follow the gaze without disrupting the softness of the face. The nose is long and harmonious; the mouth is closed, with thin lips expressing calm and spirituality. The chin is slightly pointed and well defined, completing the balance of the oval. The beard follows the line of the chin and jaw without weighing down the face, yet conveying a sense of maturity. The hair, long and wavy, falls on either side of the head down to the shoulders, forming a delicate frame around the face. The body is nearly bare, covered only by a cloth that wraps around the waist and falls over the hips in soft folds. Along the side, the right arm is extended with the open hand pointing toward the chalice, while the other is bent and supports the shaft of the cross, the hand bearing the wound of martyrdom. The legs, long and slender, hold the figure in balance: the left leg bears the weight of the body while the right, slightly bent, is more relaxed. The feet bear the marks of the crucifixion. The chalice has an elongated form, with a sturdy base supporting a wide and deep cup. The upper section is clearly defined, as if to express the sacredness of what it contains. Its refined shape, decorative details, and placement within the work convey the holiness of the Eucharistic sacrament and the sacrifice of Christ — central elements of the Christian faith. The host is depicted as a thin, round disc, as is customary in Christian iconography. This symbol is used to represent the body of Christ, which during the Mass is consecrated and transformed. The choice of red chalk allows for soft lines and delicate shading. With just a few strokes, Vasari constructs the form of the body and highlights its balance and harmony. The image unites religious devotion and artistic elegance, characteristics typical of the Aretine artist's style and of sixteenth-century art.

IV. Vasari in the Vatican: the chapels for Pius V and the Sala Regia (1570-1572)

The final section of the exhibition celebrates the apex of Vasari's career as court artist to the pontiffs Pius V and Gregory XIII between 1570 and 1572. After years spent in Florence in the service of Cosimo de' Medici, for whom he carried out the renovation of Palazzo Vecchio and the construction of the Uffizi, Vasari returned to Rome with a well-established international reputation. Under the austere patronage of Pius V, he was commissioned to decorate the three chapels of the Torre Pia in the Vatican, a work so highly regarded that the Pope bestowed upon him the prestigious honour of the "Golden Spur". But his greatest challenge was the decoration of the Sala Regia, a symbolic seat of ecclesiastical power, where Vasari was called upon to depict crucial historical events, such as the massacre of the Huguenots and the victory of the Holy League against the Turks. Here the artist demonstrated an extraordinary ability to handle complex and contemporary subjects, documenting the chronicles of the time with precision, but also with inventive variety and allegorical representations. This final phase of his life sees him acting both as painter and architect, and as coordinator of a large team of collaborators, including Lorenzo Sabatini and Jacopo Zucchi, who were capable of translating his drawings into monumental frescoes that still adorn the heart of Vatican power to this day. The section closes by celebrating Vasari the "Knight", a man who had succeeded in uniting excellence in art with the glory of the highest social ranks.

4.1 Giorgio Vasari, Saint Matthew (1571)

The work before you, 180 centimetres tall and 98 centimetres wide, depicts Saint Matthew the Evangelist and an angel, gazing at one another. It is housed in the Church of San Sebastiano in Livorno, together with the painting depicting Saint John the Evangelist. Both were part of the series of four Evangelists created by Vasari for the Chapel of Saint Michael in the Torre Pia in the Vatican, before being removed at the beginning of the 19th century. The representation of the saint dominates the surface of this oil-on-panel work, with a simple background that focuses attention on the body and face of the saint. Exploring the tactile panel, one perceives the figure in relief, occupying almost the entire central space, with a flat and uniform background around it, devoid of any raised elements. Saint Matthew's left shoulder and head are slightly inclined towards a book supported by his leg and left hand. His face, slightly elongated and oval, and his eyes are turned towards the angel above, to his right. The nose is long and slender, the mouth is closed, the lips are almost hidden by the beard and moustache, and the hair appears wavy and combed back, creating a soft outline around the head. The beard, of medium length, neat and soft, is dark but with lighter shades where it is struck by light. It covers the chin, extends along the sides of the face following the jawline, and merges with the moustache. It contributes to giving the saint's face a wise and reflective appearance. The long and powerful neck connects to the body with a slight relief; the shoulders are broad and sloping downward, with rounded contours. The torso is straight and slightly inclined forward, lending balance to the figure. The saint wears a long, soft robe that falls in deep vertical folds, discreetly outlining his form and accentuating the contrast between light and shadow to achieve a sense of volume. The hands are long and rather slender. The volume, representing the Gospel written by Saint Matthew, is supported by the saint's left palm while the fingers rest along the edges of the book, providing stability. The other hand rests on a surface with the fingers separated yet close together, in a gesture that conveys calm and steadiness. The tunic is composed of an inner and an outer layer. The outer mantle has deep folds, resembling waves, alongside other straight and elongated ones, creating a perceptible sense of movement. The upper folds, near the chest, are shorter and more intricate, like small overlapping ridges, while the lower ones, towards the base, are longer, wider, and deeper. They descend towards the lower edge of the panel, leaving only the feet uncovered. The left foot rests flat on the ground, stable, as if bearing the weight of the body, while the right foot, slightly bent in keeping with the torsion of the body, is placed a little forward relative to the leg, giving the figure a natural and relaxed posture. Returning to the upper portion, the angel in the left corner of the composition is suspended as if floating in the air, in a striking contrast with the stability of the saint's figure. The head is small and well-proportioned, the face is youthful, the brow smooth, the cheeks full, the chin rounded. The hair is wavy and slightly curly. The body is gently bent forward, following the gaze fixed upon Saint Matthew; the arms are raised and the legs are bent and gathered beneath the body. The angel's wings are broad and slightly arched, spread out behind the back.