Baroque: The Grand Theatre of Ideas

From 21 February to 28 June 2026

Forlì, Museo Civico San Domenico
Piazza Guido da Montefeltro

For 2026, the Fondazione Cassa dei Risparmi di Forlì presents a new exhibition project dedicated to one of the most captivating movements in the history of art: the Baroque.

Following an in-depth reflection on the different expressions of this artistic movement and its leading figures, the Forlì exhibition aims to offer a comprehensive overview of Baroque culture: from the intellectual debates that gave rise to it, to the protagonists who shaped it, and finally to the decisive role of patronage and the representation of power that influenced its development. While Rome stands at the heart and origin of this remarkable season, its spread and the changing international political landscape—especially in the second half of the 17th century—shaped its outcomes and influence, which would go on to define the language and culture of the new European courts.

To fully understand its genesis, it is necessary to begin with comparisons ranging from Hellenistic representations to the restless spatiality of late Mannerism, and on to the extreme realism of Caravaggio, infused with an inner atmosphere that anticipates the “senses of mysticism.” Finally, over the course of the 20th century, renewed critical and historical attention marked the end of the traditional negative interpretation of the Baroque, re-evaluating it as a moment of extraordinary cultural and formal complexity.

From 21 February to 28 June 2026, the exhibition Baroque. The Grand Theatre of Ideas will bring more than 200 works to the galleries of the Museo Civico San Domenico, thanks also to the special collaboration with the National Galleries of Ancient Art in Rome – Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Corsini.

Conceived and produced by the Fondazione Cassa dei Risparmi di Forlì in collaboration with the Municipality of Forlì, the exhibition is presented as a journey through the ideas and images that shaped the Baroque, highlighting the relationship between art, power, faith, science and society in one of the most complex and fascinating periods of European history.

The exhibition is curated by Daniele Benati, Enrico Colle and Fernando Mazzocca, with the collaboration of Bernard Aikema. The President of the Scientific Committee is Cristina Acidini, while the General Director is Gianfranco Brunelli. Divided into ten sections and designed by the Lucchi & Biserni studio, the exhibition will unfold within the Church of San Giacomo and the large halls that once housed the convent library, bringing to Forlì masterpieces from the most important national and international institutions.