Museo Italia – Galleria Borghese

“The most beautiful private collection in the world” is how Canova described Cardinal Scipione Borghese’s collection at the turn of the 17^th century. A nephew of Pope Paul V, Scipione built the Villa Borghese in a large park just outside the walls of Rome to house this exceptional collection, which ranged from ancient works to contemporary pieces by such masters as Caravaggio and Bernini. Thus arose the modern concept of the collector: curious, refined in taste, quick to identify quality and the spirit of the time.