The Pope of Collectors
About the exhibition “Masterpieces from the Borghese Gallery” on display until January 5 at the Jacquemart-André Museum in Paris.
Have you ever thought about the etymology of the word nepotism? Personally, no. But it came back to me full force when I visited the exhibition at the Jacquemart-André Museum in Paris, dedicated to the masterpieces of the Borghese Gallery. Masterpieces so numerous and so breathtaking that one can’t help but find it a little strange that they all belonged to the same man, however rich he may be, even if it takes place in the 17th century. While knowing that this word is used to designate a practice of favoring one's relatives, particularly in the granting of privileges or positions of authority, observed within historical ecclesiastical institutions and extended by analogy to any family or friendly favoritism, I had never thought that the Italian word nepotismo, born in the 17th century precisely, comes from nepote in Italian, and nepos in Latin, which means "nephew"... Scipio Caffarelli-Borghese (1577-1633), no more and no less nephew of Pope Paul V, is literally its incarnation! All the privileges were good for him to enrich his personal collection. Basically, not a single work of art for sale on the contemporary art market of the 17th century escaped him! And if art galleries had existed, there is no doubt that the Pope's nephew would have had a right of veto before any other buyer of works of art.
In short, the one who was baptized the Prince of the Age of Enlightenment surely did not know what the word scruples meant… but there are legions of them who do the same, even without being the nephew of a pope! And the journalist Sophie Flouquet wonders, in her article for the September issue of Beaux Arts Magazine, “how can this spectacular Madonna of the Grooms by Caravaggio, combining great delicacy with astonishing chiaroscuro effects, designed to be the altar painting of a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, be part of a civil collection, was its owner a cardinal?” Before giving us the answer: “By a clever mix of determination and opportunism… so many talents that Scipio Caffarelli-Borghese brought together with a certain brilliance, especially when it came to enriching his personal collection. » And to add that the man "indeed struggled throughout his career to bring together some of the most beautiful masterpieces of his time, all skillfully staged in his great residence in the Roman countryside, the Villa Borghese." Not without Francesca Cappelletti, today director of this magical place in Rome, emphasizing that it "was conceived by Scipio from its construction with the ambition of satisfying not only his own pleasure but also that of any hypothetical visitor", ultimately constituting "a sort of precursor museum".
Come on! A little history. Scipio Borghese, better known as Scipione Borghese, is an essential figure in 17th-century Italian history. Heir to a prestigious dynasty, he was able to transform the family heritage into a true artistic and diplomatic empire, contributing to the greatness of Rome and the papacy. But who was Scipio Borghese, the man who shaped the history of Italy and Europe? Born in 1577, Scipio Borghese was, as we have seen, the nephew of Pope Paul V, elected in 1605. Thanks to this papal alliance, he quickly received the title of cardinal when he was only 27 years old. This would propel his career into the high ecclesiastical and political spheres of Rome. Scipio was not simply a man of the Church; he was above all a man of power, a fine strategist and a skilled diplomat. He understood that to assert himself, he must not only strengthen his religious influence, but also establish his reputation through ambitious projects.
Patronage and art collecting would be his life's passion. Fascinated by the beauty and creative genius of his time, he became one of the greatest patrons of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. His passion for the contemporary art of his time is evident in his vast collection, which he built with meticulous attention and a pronounced taste for innovation. His name is forever associated with the Villa Borghese, a sumptuous palace that he had built and which would become the heart of his collection. Under his direction, renowned artists such as Caravaggio and the sculptor Bernini, better known as Bernini, saw their works enrich the Borghese collection. It is thanks to Scipio that masterpieces such as Bernini's David and Apollo and Daphne saw the light of day. As mentioned above, the influential man did not hesitate to use his power to acquire the pieces he wanted, sometimes by unscrupulous methods, as when he seized several works by Raphael intended for other collectors.
The Villa Borghese, located in the verdant gardens north of Rome, is not only a luxury residence, but a true temple dedicated to the arts. Scipio called upon the best architects and artists of his time to transform this architectural jewel, where each room tells a story, into a place to the glory of the Borghese family. The spectacular gallery of the same name, where the public flocks in droves today because it houses so many paintings, sculptures and antiquities, is a living testimony to his obsession with art. As the journalist from Beaux Arts Magazine writes, "the Jacquemart-André museum seized the wonderful opportunity of the renovation campaign of the Roman museum, usually less generous in loans, to bring some of these masterpieces to Paris." Raphael and Caravaggio, of course, but also Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Veronese or Titian... It's simple: those that are not there were simply too big for the rooms of the French museum! Each work of art was chosen by Scipio for its beauty, but also for its ability to represent the greatness of the papacy and the Borghese family. In this way, he was not content to be a simple collector, but became a visionary curator, giving coherence and meaning to each acquisition.
While Scipio Borghese is admired for his exquisite taste and his ability to capture the talents of his time, he remains a controversial figure. As a cardinal, he was accused of corruption and nepotism: ah, there is a kind of logic to it! In addition, his penchant for accumulating works of art earned him some enemies, especially when he did not hesitate to confiscate works to integrate them into his personal collection. Nevertheless, today, the name of Scipio Borghese is inseparable from the artistic splendor of Baroque Rome.
A fascinating and multifaceted figure, Scipione Borghese embodies the spirit of Italian Baroque: a blend of power, excess and passion. His cultural and artistic legacy makes him one of the great builders of Italian history, and his name still resonates through the centuries as a symbol of refinement, power and ambition. By building his collection and supporting the most talented artists of his time, Cardinal Borghese demonstrated that beyond political and religious intrigue, art could be a weapon as powerful as faith.
Article written by Valibri en Roulotte