The Italian government has invested 30 million euros to buy a painting by Caravaggio, the master painter, in order to preserve it in the National Museum and prevent it from becoming the property of private collectors.
On 11 March 2026, the Italian government announced the purchase of the portrait "Monsignor Maffeo Barberini," a valuable oil painting by Caravaggio, Italy’s world-renowned master painter. The acquisition cost 30 million euros, approximately 1.17 billion baht, marking one of the most expensive art purchases by the Italian state.
Alessandro Giuli, Italy’s Minister of Culture, stated that this painting is exceptionally significant, and the purchase is part of a policy to protect the nation's important artworks from acquisition by private collectors.
This painting is a portrait of Monsignor Maffeo Barberini, who later became Pope Urban VIII. It is believed to have been painted in 1598. Previously, it was kept in a private collection in Florence and was first publicly displayed in Rome in 2024. Currently, the painting has been moved to the permanent collection of Palazzo Barberini, the historic Barberini family mansion, which also exhibits several other works by Caravaggio.
Caravaggio’s real name was Michelangelo Merisi. He died in 1610 at the age of only 38 and is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential artists in Western art history. He is famous for his chiaroscuro technique, using sharp contrasts of light and shadow to create realism and emotional depth. Around 65 of his works survive worldwide, and only three of those are portraits.
Source: BBC