Palazzo Corsini is a late baroque palace in Rome, which now forms part of the Gallerias Barberini Corsini, one of the two sites that make up the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica (National Gallery of Ancient Art).
Galleria Corsini, Rome
The gallery is situated in Via della Lungara, next to the Botanical gardens. Tucked away from the lively crowds of Trastevere, you could almost be forgiven for missing it.
Walking through Galleria Corsini, even the doors draw your attention.
The palace was once home to Queen Christina of Sweden, who had moved to Rome in 1655 after converting to Catholicism. A lover of the arts, her home soon became a magnet for intellectuals. In 1736, the palace was acquired by the Corsini family. With Lorenzo Corsini now Pope Clement XII, the Florentine family needed a Roman residence that fitted their new status. It stayed in the family until 1883, when Prince Tommaso Jr sold the property and donated the entire collection to the Italian State, thereby contributing to the creation of the first Italian National Gallery.
Rooms in Galleria Corsini
The Corsini story provides a backdrop to a gallery that is just as much about viewing the palazzo as it is the art within. The majesty of each room hints at lives once lived there. And stepping from one room to the next you have to be reminded to look up, or miss the details above you, with as much art filling the ceilings as the walls.
Remember to look up at the ceilings as you wonder through the rooms of the Galleria Corsini
The gallery holds the only intact collection of paintings in Rome dating from the 1700s, thanks mostly to the donation of Prince Tommaso Corsini. According to the gallery's information, the current hanging reflects the 1771 inventory by Neri Corsini. The collection is mainly Italian religious and historical works. And while it may lack some of the more famous names to be found at Palazzo Barberini, there is still plenty to catch your eye.
Rooms within the Galleria Corsini
And if you needed another excuse to visit, the one ticket gives you access to both Galleria Corsini and Palazzo Barberini. And is valid for 20 days.
