Vatican Museums new contemporary works by famous artists
Vatican Museum contemporary collection reinstate the church’s prominence as a patron of modern art
Pieta, 1889 Vincent van Gogh
Renowned antiques and art in the Vatican Museums
The immense Vatican Museums exhibit some of the world’s most renowned works of ancient and historical art.
Related Vatican Museum treasures and world’s most renowned works of art
The collection contains over 70,000 works are housed in the museums within the Apostolic Palace, which contains the Papal Apartments, offices of the Catholic church, private and public chapels, the Vatican Museums, and the Vatican Library.
Vetrata del coro, 1949, Henri Matisse
Together they represent one of the largest museum complexes and collections in the world.
Related Saint Peter’s Basilica Michelangelo’s masterpiece Pietà
Founded in the sixteenth century, its collection of sacred art and artefacts of historical, cultural, and artistic value of art is uniquely important and awesome.
Soft Monster in Angelic Landscape, 1977, Salvador Dali
Barbara Jatta, Director of the Vatican Museums explains its current mission:
“To present, preserve and share that extraordinary legacy of culture, history and beauty that the Roman Pontiffs have collected and preserved for centuries: this is the mission of the Vatican Museums today.”
Related Gothic Christian Art of the 13th-14th Century
The history of Christian art and architecture was fostered during the reign of Emperor Constantine. In 313 AD, he made Christianity legal with the Edict of Milan. Christians were then given the right to construct places for worship and were freed from previous constraints on their religious activities.
Crucifix, 1926, Libero Andreotti
Thereafter and following on nearly two-thousand years of the papacy, successive Popes created the Vatican Museums through the building of the Apostolic Palace, and they gathered and commissioned works of art that depict the history of humankind and the story of its redemption.
Related Vatican Museums Raphael Rooms frescoes by master Renaissance artist
Millions of visitors roam through the museums each year, discovering and enjoying the many masterpieces, renowned works and priceless treasures that are part of many different collections of Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Roman and Christian art and artefacts.
Renowned antiques and art in the Vatican Museums
Ancient paintings, decorative arts and ethnological and historical works are housed alongside modern and contemporary artworks.
St Joan of Arc, 1900, Odilon Redon
The Vatican Museums’ extensive collections are presented in extraordinary and artistically significant rooms that the Popes, through the past centuries, have chosen as places of residence for private prayer and reflection. Each room, corridor, gallery and hallway has artwork themed for the space.
L’ Arbre de Vie, 1949, Henri Matisse
Not as well-known as the iconic works by Renaissance master artists, the Vatican Museum’s collection of contemporary art is also significant.
Related Botticelli to Van Gogh Renaissance to Impressionist art
The contemporary art collection was a result of Pope Paul VI’s desire to reinstate the church’s prominence in contemporary culture and as a patron of modern art.
Related Van Gogh fabulous Roulin family portraits
Over 8,000 works covers the end of the nineteenth century up to the early twentieth century.
Maquette per la Fleche della Capella del Rosario di Vence, 1949, Henri Matisse
On display are works by important artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Marc Chagall, and Henri Matisse.
Renowned antiques and art in the Vatican Museums
An entire space was dedicated to the works by Henri Matisse, thanks to an extraordinary donation by the artist’s son, Pierre Matisse.
Related Ultimate destination Vatican Museums Sistine Chapel
For anyone interested in art and history, a visit to the Vatican Museums in Vatican City is essential.
Crucifix (pour l’autel), 1951, Henri Matisse
A full-day’s visit is not enough to take in the history and significance of all its treasures; but it is a good start.
Text & Photos Cammy Yiu
