This exhibition highlights some of the finest paintings and drawings of the Italian Baroque in the Royal Collection. ‘Baroque’ is a term used loosely to describe the arts of the seventeenth century, and is characterised by dramatic compositions, lighting and subject matter, intended to provoke an emotional response.

The revival of painting in Rome around 1600 was due primarily to two artists, Annibale Carracci and Caravaggio. Both based their practice on study from the life, though their works are very different in character: Annibale admired the artists of the Renaissance, primarily Raphael, while Caravaggio broke from the past with his starkly lit realism. From Rome, the centre of the Christian world, the new Baroque style quickly spread, and within a few decades could be seen throughout Europe.

The strong representation of Italian Baroque painting in the Royal Collection is primarily due to the tastes of the Stuart kings. Charles I (reigned 1625-49) assembled one of the greatest collections of paintings ever seen in Europe. He brought Italian artists to England, he was presented with paintings as gifts, and he bought extensively, most notably the magnificent Gonzaga collection of Mantua. Charles I’s collection was sold after his execution, but his son Charles II (reigned 1660–85) reclaimed many paintings and made new purchases. A century later, George III (reigned 1760-1820) formed an unrivalled collection of Italian Baroque drawings, some of the finest of which are presented in the next section.