The Vatican Painting Gallery was founded by Pope Pius VI in 1799 and officially established in 1815, with the purpose of collecting the works of art that had been taken away by the French and then given back. Over the years the Vatican Painting Gallery had to be moved several times and passed from the Borgia Apartments to the Galleria degli arazzi (tapestries) to be finally set up under the Library rooms. In 1932 its final seat was inaugurated. In its sixteen rooms you can admire many masterpieces by the greatest European artists from the XII to the XVIII century.
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOMS I and II
Paintings by the artists of Giotto's school and others from the XIII -XIV century, among them Giovanni Bonsi, Giovanni del Biondo, Giovanni Baronzio, Antonio Veneziano, together with many anonymous painters.
In particular: the Stefaneschi Triptych by Giotto and his aids, the Madonna del Magnificat by B. Daddi, the Episodi della Vita di San Nicola (Episodes of St. Nicholas' life) and Il naufragio (The shipwreck) by Gentile da Fabriano.
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM III
Mainly dedicated to Beato Angelico, (1387 - 1455), with his Vergine tra i Santi Domenico e Caterina (the Virgin with Saints Dominic and Catherine) and Storie di San Nicola (Stories of St. Nicholas').
This room contains also paintings by Filippo Lippi (Incoronazione della Vergine, the Coronation of the Virgin), and by Benozzo Bozzoli (Il viaggio dei Magi, the Three Kings' voyage).
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM IV
This room is dedicated almost exclusively to Melozzo da Forlì (1438 - 1494). In the center you can admire the detached fresco with Sisto IV e Bartolomeo Platina (Sixtus IV and Bartholomew Platina). In the same room: Vergine in trono e Santi (the Virgin with the Saints) by Marco Palmezzano.
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM V
By Francesco del Cossa (1435 - 1477), Miracoli di San Vincenzo Ferreri (the miracles of Saint Vincent Ferreri), a part of a triptych painted for the church of Saint Petronio in Bologna.
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM VI
This is the room of the polyptychs and it contains works by various artists of the XV century. Among them Carlo Crivelli (Madonna con il Bambino), Antonio Vivarini (Sant'Antonio abate e otto Santi), Guidoccio Gozzarelli (Storie di Santa Barbara).
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM VII
This room is dedicated to the Umbria school artists: Perugino (Madonna in Trono con Bambino e Santi, dated 1495), Pinturicchio (Incoronazione della Vergine), Tiberio d'Assisi (Madonna con il Bambino), Giovanni Santi, Raphael's father, (San Girolamo in Trono).
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM VIII
This is Raphael's room (1483 - 1520), where you can admire the works that marked Raphael's artistic evolution.
Among the most famous ones, the Incoronazione della Vergine(Coronation of the Virgin); Annunciazione (Annunciation), Adorazione dei Re Magi(Adoration of the Three Kings), Presentazione al Tempio(Presentation to the Temple); Trasfigurazione (Transfiguration).
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM IX
By Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519): San Girolamo, unfinished;
by Giovanni Bellini (also known as Giambellino, 1430 - 1516): Incoronazione della Vergine.
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM X
In this room most of the paintings belong to the Venetian school.
By Tiziano (1477-1576) Madonna di san Niccolò dei Frari;
by Paolo Veronese (1520-1588): Sant'Elena;
by Paris Bordone (1500 - 1571);
by Pieter de Wit, la Sacra Famiglia con Sant'Anna e San Giovannino
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM XI
By federico Barocci: the Testa di Madonna (The Virgin's head), the Madonna delle Ciliegie (The Virgin of the Cherries) and San Francesco che riceve le stimmate (Saint Francis receiving the stigmata);
by Giorgio Vasari: La lapidazione di Santo Stefano (the lapidation of Saint Stephen).
by Ippolito Scarsella also known as Scarsellino: la Visitazione di santa Elisabetta (the Visitation of Saint Elisabeth).
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM XII
Paintings of the XVI century, dominated by the figure of Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi).
By Caravaggio (1573-1610): the Deposizione di Cristo (Deposition of Christ);
by Domenico Zampieri (also known as Domenichino 1581-1641) the Comunione di San Girolamo e la Maddalena.
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM XIII
This is the continuation of the previous room, with artists close to Caravaggio's style
By Orazio Gentileschi: Giuditta;
by Giovanni Lanfranco: Gesù Bambino addormentato (Jesus sleeping);
by Vittorio Berettini from Cortona, the Madonna che appare a San Francesco (The virgin appears to Saint Francis).
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM XIV
Paintings by artists of the XVII and XVIII centuries.
By Peter Paul Rubens: the Trionfo di Marte (the Triumph of Mars);
by Peter Van Bloemen: Mandria di cavalli (group of horses);
by Giovanni Battista Gaulli (also known as Baciccia): Angeli musicanti (Angels playing music).
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM XV
This is the room of the portraits.
By Gentile Bellini: the portrait of Doge Niccolò Marcello;
by Carlo Maratta: the portrait of Clemente IX;
by Giuseppe Maria Crespi: Portrait of Benedetto XIV;
Vatican Painting Gallery - ROOM XVI
Collection of bizantine paintings of the XVI - XVII centuries.
By Emanuele Zanfurnari: Sepoltura di Efren (the burial of Efren)
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San Girolamo,
by Leonardo da Vinci
outside view of the Vatican Painting Gallery
San Girolamo, detail
Caravaggio,
La Deposizione di Cristo
detail of Caravaggio's painting
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courtesy page offered by Spring House Hotel Rome
