The Italian government has acquired a rare Caravaggio portrait for €30 million ($34.7 million), marking one of the state's most significant art purchases to date. The painting depicts Monsignor Maffeo Barberini, the future Pope Urban VIII, and was previously held in a private Florentine collection before being transferred to the permanent collection of the Palazzo Barberini in Rome.
This acquisition reflects a strategic push by Italy’s Culture Ministry to secure masterpieces of national importance and prevent them from disappearing into private hands. By placing the 1598 work in a public institution, the state aims to ensure scholarly access and preserve the cultural legacy of the Barberini family within their historic residence.