Palazzo Barberini, the Barberini family’s historic Rome residence, opened the exhibit in November 2024.

The painting remained in the Barberini family for about three centuries, tying it to Urban VIII’s era before leaving in the 1930s.

Negotiations enabled a public exhibition at Palazzo Barberini, aligning with the 2025 Caravaggio exhibition that drew more than 450,000 visitors.

During negotiations, the painting was publicly shown at Palazzo Barberini for months, reinforcing its scholarly validation and public engagement amid Caravaggio 2025 crowds.

Dating to around 1598, the painting spent decades in private collections before entering Caravaggio scholarship in the 1960s.

The purchase was formalized at the Ministry of Culture in the presence of officials including Massimo Osanna, Alessandro Giuli, Thomas Clement Salomon, and notary Luca Amato, with emphasis on its value for scientific study and policy.

Officials at the signing highlighted the work’s significance for scientific study and cultural policy, reinforcing its national importance.

Italy has secured a historically important Caravaggio portrait, enriching the state-owned collection and underscoring a commitment to safeguarding masterpieces from the master.

The portrait depicts the future pope in his thirties, dressed as a cleric of the Apostolic Chamber, capturing a pivotal moment in his ascent and gaining notoriety in modern portraiture through a landmark 1963 article.

Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli called the work exceptionally important, describing it as a turning point in Caravaggio’s modern rediscovery and a catalyst for broader access for scholars and the public.

The Barberini family’s Palazzo Barberini in central Rome has a history of hosting the portrait, including a 2024–2025 display.

Prior to the purchase, the portrait was publicly exhibited at Palazzo Barberini for a Caravaggio show that ran until February 2025, marking a historic first lending of the work from private hands.