The Villa Borghese, the splendid small palace that hosts the Borghese Gallery, was built at the beginning of the 17th century as a private residence of the Borghese family. From the very beginning it housed the collection of Cardinal Scipio (1579-1633), nephew of Pope Paul V (a Borghese). In 1902, the Italian State purchased the rest of the collection and the palace. Currently, the collection consists of sculptures, bas-reliefs, ancient mosaics, 16th-17th century paintings, and sculptures. They include masterpieces by Antonello da Messina, Giovanni Bellini, Perugino, Pinturicchio, Veronese, Raphael (Deposition), Domenichino (Diana's Hunt), Titian (Sacred and Profane Love, Venus Blindfolding Love), Correggio (Danae), Caravaggio (Youth with a Fruit Basket, The Madonna of the Footmen, David with Goliath's Head), Rubens (Pietà), and magnificent sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Apollo and Daphne, The Rape of Proserpina, David) and Canova (Paolina Borghese).

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