If you are an art lover, after a Vatican Tour, don’t miss a visit to an hidden gem in Rome: the Doria Pamphilj Gallery.
Galleria Doria Pamphilj is hosted in the Palace with the same name, the architectural result of evolutions, annexations and extensions carried out over five hundred years, which first belonged to the Della Rovere family, became the property of the Aldobrandini family in 1601, and then from 1647 of the Pamphilj family, due to the marriage of Olimpia Aldobrandini to Camillo Pamphilj.
In 1651 Giambattista Pamphilj, who ascended to the papal throne under the name of Innocent X (1644-1655), established the Gallery there. The direct descendants of the Pamphilj were succeeded in 1760 by the Doria Pamphilj branch.
The Doria Pamphilj Gallery
In the Gallery, the arrangement of the paintings, distributed over four arms, follows the indications contained in an 18th century document, where the precise location of each work is given according to a criterion of symmetry and, at times, typological and stylistic affinities.
On display are paintings by Raphael, Titian, Parmigianino, Caravaggio, Annibale and Ludovico Carracci, Guido Reni, and Velázquez.
Ancient and 17th century sculptures are also on display, including several sarcophagi and busts, such as the two of Innocent X by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Alessandro Algardi. Noteworthy are the four tapestries from the Brussels manufactory from the 16th century depicting the preceding and concluding stages of the Battle of Lepanto.
The masterpiece of the collection, according to general opinion, is the portrait of Pope Innocent X by Velázquez.
The private rooms of Princess Olimpia Aldobrandini
The Doria Pamphilj Gallery can also be combined with a visit to the private rooms of Princess Olimpia Aldobrandini enriched with paintings and furnishings of the period. The flats include the Diana’s Bath, the Throne Room, the Blue or English Room, the Green or Venetian Room, the Yellow or French Room, the Red or Roman Room and the Venus Toliette.
Doria Pamphilj Family Chapel
You can conclude by visiting the magnificent Doria Pamphilj Family Chapel, designed by Carlo Fontana between 1689 and 1691. It underwent various alterations and was enriched with works over the centuries. Of great visual impact is the vault where one can admire the Coronation of the Virgin painted by Tommaso Minardi in the mid 19th century. On the ceiling of the Anti-chapel, the monochrome and mock-perspective decoration creates the visual sensation of the presence of a dome, making the entire room appear as if projected towards the divine.
