In the seventeenth century, Rome is “the Great Theater of the World”.
Art is at the service of power. The purpose is to astound, to impress the spectator, to strike his soul deeply, to leave a mark.
To leave the mark of faith in the simple souls of the populace. Or the mark of the Pope's power and greatness in the spirits of important visitors, ambassadors, politicians, but also travelers.
It is the period of the “Grand Tour”, when the young sons of the rich European families travel to Rome and
Italy to study “antiquity”.
Movement, expressive power, wonder. These are the keywords to discover the Baroque art in the churches and the palaces of Rome after the Counter-Reformation.