The Fondazione Cassa dei Risparmi di Forlì presents a new major exhibition dedicated to one of the most captivating and influential movements in art history: the Baroque.

Following an in-depth exploration of the many expressions of this artistic movement and its leading figures, the exhibition in Forlì aims to offer a comprehensive overview of Baroque culture: from the intellectual debates that gave rise to it, to the artists who shaped its language, and the crucial role of patronage and power in directing its development.

While Rome stands at the heart and origin of this remarkable era, the spread of Baroque art—alongside shifting international political dynamics, particularly in the latter half of the seventeenth century—profoundly influenced the artistic language and cultural identity of Europe’s emerging courts.

To fully understand its origins, one must look to a broad range of influences: from Hellenistic representations to the restless spatial experimentation of late Mannerism, and ultimately to the striking realism of Caravaggio, imbued with an inner intensity that anticipates a profound sense of the mystical.

In the twentieth century, renewed critical and historical perspectives brought an end to the traditionally negative interpretation of the Baroque, re-evaluating it as a period of extraordinary cultural and formal complexity.

From February 21 to June 28, 2026, Baroque: The Grand Theatre of Ideas will bring over 200 exceptional works to the Museo Civico San Domenico, thanks in part to a prestigious collaboration with the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica – Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Corsini.

Conceived and organized by the Fondazione Cassa dei Risparmi di Forlì in collaboration with the Comune di Forlì, the exhibition unfolds as a journey through the ideas and images that shaped the Baroque, revealing the profound interplay between art, power, faith, science, and society in one of the most complex and fascinating periods of European history.

Curated by Daniele Benati, Enrico Colle, Andreas Dehmer, Fernando Mazzocca, and Francesco Petrucci, with a scientific committee chaired by Cristina Acidini and general direction by Gianfranco Brunelli, the exhibition is structured into twelve sections and designed by Lucchi & Biserni.

Set within the evocative spaces of the Church of San Giacomo and the grand halls of the former convent library, the exhibition brings to Forlì masterpieces from leading national and international institutions offering visitors a truly immersive Baroque experience.