ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.- The Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg is presenting Bernini and the Roman Baroque: Masterpieces from Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia, an exhibition which celebrates the rich spectrum of genres and pictorial styles that characterize Baroque aesthetics and illuminates the influence of Giovan Lorenzo Bernini within the movement. Bernini and the Roman Baroque is on view at the MFA from February 12 through May 8, 2022.

Reflecting an artistic energy that pulsated throughout Europe and inspired architects, artists, and urban planners across the globe, Bernini and the Roman Baroque embodies the magnificence and innovation that transformed Rome into the capital of the art world for centuries.

"This fascinating exhibition highlights Bernini’s brilliance during the Baroque period,” noted Senior Curator of Exhibitions and Collections Stanton Thomas, PhD. “Artworks are included not only by Bernini himself—embodying the Baroque ideals of intense drama, bold imagination, emotional engagement, and the activation of the viewer’s space—but by dozens of his fellow artists. These rare paintings, prints, and decorative arts epitomize the period’s ultimate goal of elevating the viewer in both mind and soul and engaging them fully with the art itself.”

The term Baroque connotes rich detail, bold compositions, and a sense of drama—all hallmarks of an extraordinary generation of artists who converged in Rome at the dawn of the seventeenth century. This artistic style became a cultural phenomenon, spreading across Europe with major centers emerging in the Low Countries, France, Spain, and Italy, finally assuming its full global dimensions when it reached the Americas and Asia. Bernini and the Roman Baroque explores the genesis of this artistic movement through a selection of 55 works from 40 artists.

“So many of us have felt isolated and confined by COVID-19, but this exhibition is a great reminder that art is an impactful and exciting way to explore the world without leaving our own community,” said MFA Executive Director and CEO Kristen A. Shepherd. “We’re thrilled to bring the Roman Baroque to our galleries with this exhibition – and we look forward to bringing other parts of the world to our visitors with our exhibitions and programs throughout 2022.”

Bernini and the Roman Baroque: Masterpieces from Palazzo Chigi in Ariccia is organized by Glocal Project Consulting and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.