Paintings by Caravaggio, sculptures by Bernini along with further masterpieces from the early Roman Baroque period will be shown together for the first time in a unique exhibition. The exhibition “Caravaggio & Bernini” presents the revolutionary art of 17th century Rome.

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) was a true rebel of his time. With his paintings he rebelled against the Renaissance style and its pursuit of the ideal beauty. His palette was earthy instead of garish, his models common people from the streets of Rome. Prostitutes posed for his Madonnas, and his heroes were youthful villains. Caravaggio’s revolutionary paintings full of drama combined with his unconventional lifestyle caused a sensation time and again.

The works of sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) were more restrained, but no less avant-garde for their time. His sculptures and statues seem to stand on every corner in Rome. Hardly any other European sculptor has shaped this epoch as much as he has. Bernini is regarded as the epitome of the Baroque.

What the two world-famous masters have in common is their realistic depiction of nature. While in the Renaissance well-proportioned portraits and lifelike landscapes shaped the style, Caravaggio and Bernini followed the emotions of the figures when depicting bodies. Connecting reality and sentiment was completely newand it became a hallmark of the Baroque period. The exhibition “Caravaggio & Bernini” at the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna (Art History Museum) shows how intense emotions suddenly became a theme for painting and sculpture. Around seventy masterpieces are on display. Among the many international loans there are also works that have never before been shown in public, including some sculptures by Bernini and a painting by the probably most famous female painter of the 17th century: Artemisia Gentileschi.

In order to make your visit to the special exhibition as pleasant as possible, visitors are required to book a ticket for a fixed time slot. It is only possible to enter the special exhibition during this reserved time slot. However, there are no restrictions as to how long one can remain in the exhibition area. To give visitors of the Art History Museum more time to explore the special exhibition, its opening hours have been extended.

Caravaggio & Bernini, October 15, 2019 - January 19, 2020
Mo, Tu, We, Fr 09:00-18:00, Th, Sa, Su 09:00-21:00
Note: The extended opening hours only apply to the special exhibition “Caravaggio & Bernini”. The other collections and special exhibitions at the Art History Museum are accessible during regular opening hours (Mo-Su 10:00-18:00, Th 10:00-21:00).
www.khm.at