Top 10 Rome Art Masterpieces

It's going to be a lifetime of taking in all the art and culture that Rome offers however, there are certain masterpieces worth seeing that anyone who are a fan of fine art need to visit. These 10 amazing works are located in churches, museums and palazzos throughout Rome. They cover a variety of styles, periods, and mediums. If you want to see the most important art in St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums, check out the 10 most impressive works you must visit inside Vatican City; but for now, take a look at the top 10 art masterpieces to see in Rome.

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1. Raphael's Frescoes

Villa Farnesina is a suburban Renaissance villa that is perhaps the least well-known museum in Rome. It was constructed by Agostino Chigi, Treasurer for The pope Julius II. The pope asked Raphael (among other artists) to create intricate frescoes within the airy area. Raphael's frescoes from the 16th century from Cupid and Psyche as well as The Triumph of Galatea adorn the ceiling of the loggia or the ground floor of the palazzo. They are among the most famous artworks of the villa. Raphael is regarded as one of the greatest artist from his time, the High Renaissance period, alongside Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, and is praised for his harmonious compositions as well as his ability to paint noble figures with an ethereal elegance.

2. The Bernini's Apollo and Daphne

This statue can make you think about what it's possible for a genius artist to make. The life-sized statue of marble that is located in Galleria Borghese depicts Apollo holding Daphne as she attempts to escape his grasp, exactly at the point that her father transforms her into a laurel tree in order to keep her away from his grasp. Her hands turning into leaves is stunning and showcase Bernini's talents regardless of his age (he was just 24 when he began make this sculpture). The Cardinal Scipione Borghese became Bernini's patron and asked Bernini to make several statues for his collection. which are housed in Galleria Borghese.

3. Sarcophagus of the spouses

Made in sixth century B.C. this Terracotta Etruscan Sarcophagus is considered to be one of the most valuable artifacts from the civilization that predated the Romans. The sarcophagus is part of the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, this piece portrays a couple who are reclining at banquet table together. Since the two figures have the same proportion and pose it is also a sign that Etruscan society was fairly egalitarian with regard to gender. The Etruscans were obsessed about the afterlife and wanted in ensuring that their dead could rest comfortably in their final areas, by building elaborate graves with paintings (such as those in Tarquinia) as well as elaborate tombstones.

4. Caravaggio's paintings within the Contarelli Chapel

Caravaggio is among the most famous Baroque artists in Italian history. He was a pioneer who painted dramatic scenes and employed the chiaroscuro method, starkly contrasting dark and light to create multidimensional works art, with a firm foundation in naturalism. His works are spread throughout Rome however his masterpiece in the Contarelli Chapel in San Luigi dei Francesi Church is noteworthy for its the three Caravaggio painting together (a bonus for anyone who loves his work). Paintings were completed between 1599 and 1600. The series of paintings depict his life as Matthew The Apostle. The call of St. Matthew, The Inspiration of St. Matthew and The Martyrdom of St. Matthew.

5. Borromini's Prospettiva

This optical illusion created by Borromini is a true treat that will delight the senses. This Baroque Prospective Gallery is believed to have a colonnade with a long length however it is actually smaller than it appears. It is only 9 meters long. It features an ascending floor, descending ceiling, and a decreasing column that create this spectacular visual even the hedges behind are constructed from stone. This unusual gem belongs to the Palazzo Spada, which houses the 17th century Spada family painting gallery, a modest collection of artworks of artists like Titan, Guercino and Gentileschi.

6. Michelangelo's Moses

Although Michelangelo's most well-known work in Rome are located at Vatican City, his stirring statue of Moses is in the Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli close to Monti, Monti neighborhood. Moses is the main character of a tomb that was ordered from Pope Julius II during the sixteenth century and is noteworthy because it depicts Moses wearing hair horns (due to an incorrect translation from Hebrew from the Bible where the words "rays of light was translated to "horns').

7. Mosaics from Santa Maria in Trastevere

The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere isn't just famous as one of the oldest religious buildings in Rome it is also home to stunning twelveth-century Byzantine mosaics created by Pietro Cavallini, which depict the life of the Virgin Mary. The apse displays the Virgin's Coronation with a backdrop of paints and also features the Pope Innocent II (who rebuilt the church in 1130) holding the model that depicts the Church.

8. Gallery of Mirrors, Palazzo Doria Pamphili

The lavish Gallery of Mirrors lies within the Renaissance Palazzo Doria Pamphilj. It is home to 18th century frescoes and mirrors, with gilded luster and numerous marble statues. It's like an exact replica of Versailles but without crowds. It is regularly displaying the amazing private collection of art belonging to the Doria Pamphilj family, which includes works of Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio and Velazquez as well as other famous masters.

9. Boxer At Rest

The Hellenistic Greek bronze sculpture of a boxer seated is believed to be dating back to the period 300-50 B.C. and is housed in Palazzo Massimo, one of four National Museums of Rome. The boxer's grumpy and irritable face, as well as his muscular and hunched body, that is sculpted with incredible precision. It is a masterwork of athleticism and realism.

10. Berninis' Ecstasy of St. Theresa

Another stunning piece that demonstrates Bernini's artistic talent can be seen in his Ecstasy of Saint Theresa statue which is located inside the Santa Maria della Vittorio Church. One of the best artifacts in High Roman Baroque, it depicts Teresa of Avila who was a Spanish religious mystic as well as a Carmelite nun, in the moment of religious joy with an angel, who felt the sensation of 'pain...so amazing that it made me sigh but yet it was so surpassing...that I couldn't even wish to get rid of it'. The statue is revered for its sensuality and the method of combining architecture with sculpture and painting within its small chapel.