Michelangelo’s in the news as Rome digs into the San Pietro in Vincoli legends and recent restoration drama around Moses. Italian Renaissance icon, born 1475.
Italy has purchased a 1598 portrait attributed to Caravaggio of Maffeo Barberini, later Pope Urban VIII, from a private collection. The painting, a key work in Caravaggio's rediscovery, will join the Palazzo Barberini collection after negotiations lasting over a year, strengthening Italy's cultural heritage.
Rome is undertaking extensive restorations of historic sites, including a 5th-century basilica near the Colosseum, funded by €500 million EU recovery funds. The project focuses on cleaning and restoring ceilings, sculptures, and relics, with completion expected by May 2026.