One of the most famous art collections of the 1600s is to be 'restored to life' for a limited period as an exhibition in the eastern town of Caldarola. Opening on May 23, the event will reconstruct a collection of top-notch artworks that once belonged to Cardinal Giambattista Pallotta.
The collection, which was broken up at Pallotta's death in 1668, features works by some of Italy's most renowned artists, including Caravaggio, Guercino, Guido Reni, Mattia Preti, Carlo Maratta, Annibale Carracci, Ludovico Carracci and Elisabetta Sirani.
In total, 60 paintings will go on display, mirroring the original collection as closely as possible. The exhibit's curator, a leading art critic and former culture undersecretary, Vittorio Sgarbi, has been working with a technical committee including top art historians of the period, such as Sir Denis Mahon.
Together they have tracked down the paintings originally in the collection and selected alternative works where the original was unavailable. An inventory of the collection has enabled Sgarbi and the committee to identify alternatives by the same artist and depicting the same subject as the original work. The inventory was compiled during months of research in Rome, Bologna and Caldarola, and also resulted in several restorations being carried out ahead of the show.
A “Madonna In Glory” by Maratta and a large “Christ Driving the Merchants from the Temple” by Guercino were among the works to get a makeover. In addition to showcasing the artworks, the exhibition pays tribute to the dreams of the cardinal, who was the pontifical legate to Emilia. Based in Caldarola, Pallotta was determined to transform the small town into a thriving centre of art and culture in the Marche.
He had an entire section of the cardinal's palace converted into a gallery, decorating it in a lavish style fit for royalty and commissioning works from the most brilliant artists of the day. His famous collection and the luxury of the palace made it a popular stopping point for a range of eminent figures travelling to Rome: Queen Christina of Sweden, Prince Casimir of Poland and the Barberini cardinals were among those who spent some time there. The exhibition is on show from May 23 until November 12 in the same section of the Palazzo dei Cardinali Pallotta that hosted the original collection.

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