PhD Program in Historical studies
An ambitious prelate and his passion for art
Ascanio Filomarino was born in Benevento in 1583 (or Chianche in 1584), the eldest son of an aristocratic family of the kingdom of Naples. Destined to an ecclesiastical career, he left for Rome in 1616 as master of ceremonies of the bishop of Venafro Ladislao d’AquinoA member of a collateral branch of the powerful ducal family, Ladislao d’Aquino (1546-1621) was cameriere to Pius V, Bishop of Venafro, apostolic nuncio to Switzerland and Piedmont, governor of Perugia and, starting in 1616, a cardinal. He died during the conclave that would elect Pope Gregory XV., the newly appointed cardinal by Pope Paul V. Filomarino’s fortunes soared with the election to the papacy in 1623 of Maffeo Barberini (Urban VIII), whose friendship the young Ascanio enjoyed for several years. Elected cameriere segreto and granted a canonry in the Liberian Basilica, in 1625-1626 followed the cardinal-nephewThe term refers to a cardinal created by a pope who was his relative, generally his uncle. Though this practice, known by the name of “nepotism”, is already to attested in medieval times, it reached its greatest expression in the Early Modern age, until Innocent XII expressly prohibited it with the bull Romanum decet pontificem of 1692. Inside the papal court, the cardinal-nephew played the role of a veritable Secretary of State, embodying the corresponding figure of the Roman favourite, a popular figure, between the sixteenth and seventeenth century, in the major European courts. Francesco BarberiniBorn in Florence and after having graduated with a degree in civil and canon in law at the University of Pisa, Francesco Barberini (1597-1679) tied his own life and his career to that of his uncle Maffeo Barberini who was elected pope in 1623 under the name of Urban VIII. In that same year, Francis was created a cardinal and throughout the pontificate of his uncle (1623-1644) he amassed wealth and positions. Relegated to a secondary role after the death of Urban, he died at 82 years as Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals. He was buried in Saint Peter’s Basilica. in his legations to France and Spain. Back in Rome, he was elected canon of the Vatican basilica and invited to be part of several church congregations. The strong link with Francesco Barberini, his patron during the Roman years, was at the basis for the inspiration for the writing of L’idea del favorito (The idea of the favourite) a short treatise which he wrote between 1624 and 1633.
His presence for over twenty years in the Roman cultural context and his membership in Barberini’s circle, around which the greatest artists of the Roman Baroque revolved, allowed to Filomarino to develop a remarkable artistic competence and form one of the largest collections of paintings of his era. He was one of the first collectors of the works of Nicolas Poussin, whom he also helped financially in a difficult period of the artist’s life. Paintings by Simon VouetSimon Vouet (1590-1649) was born and worked for most of his life in Paris. Fundamental for his training, however, was the long stay (1612-1627) in Italy, during which he came into contact with the main artistic movements of the peninsula: the naturalism of Caravaggio, Venetian chromatism and the Bolognese school of Guido Reni and Guercino. He directed a major Parisian atelier, trying to adapt his art to the refined taste of the court of Louis XIII., Valentin de BoulogneA pupil of Simon Vouet and Bartolomeo Manfredi, Valentin de Boulogne, or Jean Valentin (1591-1632) was born in France, but he settled in Rome in 1612. Much appreciated by Barberini’s circle and the great collectors of the time as Cassiano dal Pozzo and Cardinal Filomarino, his works were successful even after his death. His paintings of profane subjects, depicting various figures with vivid realism of the people are famous., Annibale Carracci, Francesco AlbaniBorn in Bologna, Francesco Albani (1578-1660) was trained in the Carracci workshop, working with them in Bologna and with Annibale in Rome. Influenced by the art of Guido Reni and Raphael, he enjoyed his most successful period in Rome, undergoing a slow decline once he returned to Bologna., Pietro da Cortona, Guido Reni, Giovanni LanfrancoBorn near Parma, Giovanni Lanfranco (1582-1647) worked closely with the Carracci and Guido Reni among Roma and Parma, linking Baroque ideas and Classical themes. His stay in Naples was important (1634-1646), where he worked in key places such as the Chapter house of San Martino, the Church of the Gesù and the Chapel of San Gennaro in the Cathedral, representing a model in the transition from Caravaggio’s school to the great flourishing of the Neapolitan Baroque., Domenico Zampieri called DomenichinoAnother great exponent of the Bolognese school of painting of the second half of the sixteenth century, Domenico Zampieri, called Domenichino (1581-1641) had the same training as Guido Reni and Francesco Albani. A pupil of the Mannerist Calvaert, he was trained in contact with the Carracci and in particular, during his formative stay in Rome, with Annibale. He always remained attached to the influence of Carracci and to the influence of Classicism and gradually became an artist of secondary importance due the triumph of Baroque artists such as Giovanni Lanfranco. He died in Naples, where he lived his last years., Artemisia GentileschiArtemisia Gentileschi (1597-1652) was born in Rome and trained with his father Orazio. She worked in Florence from 1614 to 1620, then again in Rome (1620-1626) and finally in Naples (1630-1652, except for a brief stay in England in 1638-39). She took up and modified her father’s works several times, enriching them. She contributed greatly to the influence of Caravaggio’s in seventeenth-century Naples. Among her works are Judith and Holofernes (Florence, Uffizi). and Giuseppe Cesari called Cavalier d’ArpinoGiuseppe Cesari, known as Cavalier d’Arpino (1568-1640) was a very active painter in Rome, especially during the pontificates of Sixtus V (1585-1590) and Clement VIII (1592-1605). He also worked in Naples and in Frascati. In his workshop, Caravaggio also worked, with whom, however, he severed ties. entered his collection. Filomarino also bought Saint Francis, a painting by Caravaggio, which belonged to Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte, which today unfortunately has been lost. The impressive collection of over 300 paintings, was dismembered by Filomarino’s heirs, who sold some paintings and rescued others from the assault which the Filomarino Palace – located in Piazza San Giovanni Maggiore in Naples – suffered during the riots of 1799. Some pieces that formed the collection remained in the city of Naples as is the case, for example, of The Circumcision and The angel with spear and sponge, both by Simon Vouet, now preserved in the Museum of Capodimonte.