Raffaello, Parmigianino and Barocci at the Musei Capitolini

The exhibition “Raffaello, Parmigianino, Barocci. Metaphors of the Gaze” on view at the Musei Capitolini has been extended to the 24th of January.

Federico Barocci, Annunciation, ca. 1582 - 1584, oil on canvas (248 x 170) cm, Vatican City, Pinacoteca Vaticana, inv. 40376.

The gazes of different generations of artists and art historiographers meet here at the crossroads of Renaissance Rome achievements represented by Raffaello Sanzio, in a reflection on the theme of the artistic legacy from the past. A visual and conceptual dialogue has been thus established among the works by Francesco Mazzola, also called il Parmigianino (Parma, 1503 – Casalmaggiore, 1540) and Federico Barocci (Urbino, 1535? – Urbino, 1612), together with the great Renaissance artist coming from Urbino.

A thorough selection of paintings, drawings, etchings, chiaroscuro woodcuts and reliefs are gathered in this exhibition in order to illustrate the artistic researches lead by the two artists, who especially found the most suitable expression through the innovative graphic production.

Appreciated among the finest drawing masters of their times, Parmigianino and Barocci came into contact with the lively milieu of the Eternal City and their artistic leanings elaborated in a different way the Raphaelesque model. As for Parmigianino, contemporary rumor had it that Raffaello' soul transmigrated into him, so electing him as the deserving successor of the prematurely dead artist. Nevertheless, Parmigianino revealed a truly personal artistic vision, enriched with a deep scientific interest and techniques experimentation. On the other hand, besides sharing with Raffaello the common roots in their native land, Barocci showed a fruitful blending of various cultural traditions, in particular since his production dating to the Eighties of the 16^th century.