who most likely instructed Bernini to leave the two busts to the institution after his death. For the members of the latter, meditation on heaven and hell was one of the central aspects of devotion.

But when descendants of the 17th-century cardinal Flavio Chigi had thick layers of dark overpainting removed, they realised they owned an extraordinary sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini ...

Among the other important pieces at the Borghese Gallery are two busts of the cardinal, both by Bernini. Aside from his works, the Borghese Gallery also features pieces by Italian painters ...