Ceiling frescoes in the Palazzo Farnese, Rome
by Annibale CARRACCI

In 1597 Cardinal Odoardo Farnese commissioned Annibale Carracci's great masterpiece, the ceiling of the Galleria Farnese in the Palazzo Farnese, the most splendid and influential ceiling decoration in Rome since that of the Sistine Chapel. Annibale's brother Agostino assisted him on at least two of the scenes until they quarrelled and Agostino left Rome. In contrast to the earlier interpretation which saw them as a Neoplatonic allegory of the victory of Celestial Love over physical passion, in recent years Annibale's frescoes have generally been regarded as a witty and joyous celebration of the classical gods in love.

Just as Michelangelo's Sistine Ceiling marks the beginning of sixteenth century monumental Roman ceiling painting, the Galleria Farnese closes the century with a similarly magnificent ceiling decoration. These frescoes were tremendously influential, for two centuries ranking with Michelangelo's work in the Sistine Chapel and Raphael's frescos in the Vatican as the supreme examples of Western painting. Generations of young painters were set to copy it.

Preview Picture Data File Info Comment
The Galleria Farnese
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1000*1237
True Color
238 Kb



General view
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1300*958
True Color
250 Kb



General view
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1300*955
True Color
250 Kb



Ceiling fresco
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

810*1047
True Color
195 Kb



Ceiling fresco
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1244*750
True Color
249 Kb



Ceiling fresco
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1700*709
True Color
278 Kb



Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1213*1000
True Color
205 Kb



Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1247*630
True Color
191 Kb



Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne (detail)
1595-1605
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

830*672
True Color
144 Kb



Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne (detail)
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1000*1285
True Color
239 Kb



Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne (detail)
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1000*1216
True Color
238 Kb



Polyphemus and Galatea
1595-1605
Fresco
Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1110*1100
True Color
243 Kb



Polyphemus and Acis
1595-1605
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1142*1100
True Color
246 Kb



Polyphemus and Acis
1595-1605
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

692*850
True Color
115 Kb



Pan and Diana
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

924*1300
True Color
235 Kb



Mercury and Paris
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

919*1300
True Color
250 Kb



Cephalus and Aurora
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1832*600
True Color
219 Kb



A Sea God Abducts a Woman
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1821*600
True Color
224 Kb



A Sea God Abducts a Woman (detail)
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1300*1050
True Color
238 Kb



Jupiter and Juno
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1469*760
True Color
234 Kb



Venus and Anchises
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1450*760
True Color
217 Kb



Diana and Endymion
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1400*762
True Color
231 Kb



Perseus Liberating Andromeda
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1400*704
True Color
224 Kb



Perseus Fighting with Phineus
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1616*800
True Color
243 Kb



Perseus Fighting with Phineus (detail)
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1000*1300
True Color
246 Kb



Hercules and Iole
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1537*760
True Color
246 Kb



Europa and the Bull
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

1200*932
True Color
220 Kb



Eros and Anteros
1597-1602
Fresco
Galleria Farnese, Palazzo Farnese, Rome

936*1200
True Color
239 Kb



Sketch for the ceiling of the Galleria Farnese
1590s
Pen and ink and wash, 164 x 255 mm
Musée du Louvre, Paris

917*600
True Color
77 Kb



Sketch for the ceiling of the Galleria Farnese
1590s
Pen and ink and wash, 241 x 287 mm
Musée du Louvre, Paris

1066*900
True Color
182 Kb



Sketch for frieze of the Galleria Farnese
1590s
Pen and ink and wash, 270 x 242 mm
École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris

824*900
True Color
131 Kb




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