Rome 1600 ─ The City and the Visual Arts Under Clement VIII

In 1600 Rome was the center of the artistic world. This fascinating book offers a new look at the art and architecture of the great Baroque city at this time of major innovation—especially in painting, largely owing to the presence of Annibale Carracci (1560–1609) and Caravaggio (1571–1610). Rome was a magnet for artists and architects from all over Europe; they came to study the remains of antiquity and the works of Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bramante. The sheer variety of artists working in the city ensured a diversity of styles and innovative cross-influences. Moreover, 1600 was a Jubilee year, offering numerous opportunities for artistic patronage, whether in major projects like St. Peter’s, or in lesser schemes such as the restoration of older churches. Clare Robertson examines these developments as well as the patronage of the pope and of major Roman families, drawing on a range of contemporary sources and images to reconstruct a snapshot of Rome at this thrilling time.

Clare Robertson is professor of history of art at the University of Reading.