Italy’s culture minister said the painting, a portrait of cleric Monsignor Maffeo Barberini who later became Pope Urban VIII, holds exceptional historical and artistic value. The acquisition is part of a broader effort to ensure significant artworks remain accessible to the public instead of being sold to private collectors.

The portrait had been part of a private collection in Florence and was first displayed publicly in Rome in 2024.

Caravaggio, known for his dramatic use of lighting that made subjects appear vividly lifelike, has around 65 surviving works worldwide. Only three of them are known to be portraits.

The newly acquired painting has been added to the permanent collection of the Palazzo Barberini in Rome, the historic residence of the Barberini family. It will now be displayed alongside other works by the renowned artist.

Created around 1598, the portrait depicts Barberini as a bearded cleric extending his right hand as if giving instructions.

Barberini was elected pope in 1623 and led the Catholic Church until his death in 1644. He was widely recognized as an influential patron of the arts.

Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said the purchase forms part of a wider initiative by the Ministry of Culture to strengthen Italy’s national heritage and ensure that important masterpieces remain available to scholars and the public rather than entering the private art market.

Caravaggio, whose real name was Michelangelo Merisi, died in 1610 at the age of 38. He was famous for his use of chiaroscuro, a technique that employs strong contrasts of light and shadow to create dramatic and psychologically powerful scenes.