Alessandro AlgardiItalian, 1595–1654Madonna and Child
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Not on view at present
Where is “Madonna and Child” now? Collection: Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Cambridge, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
Details
- Accession number
- 2002.320
In the catalog
Sources
- Harvard Art Museums
- Image: Harvard Art Museums — © President and Fellows of Harvard College
In the life of Alessandro Algardi
The whole life1625
Moves to Rome with the Duke of Mantua's introduction
After a short stay in Venice he goes to Rome with an introduction from the Duke of Mantua to Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi, nephew of the late pope, who employs him for a time to restore ancient statues from his famous collection.
1625–1634
Years of struggling for recognition in Rome
Bernini and his studio, backed by Borghese and Barberini patronage, win most of the major Roman commissions, while Algardi struggles for recognition for nearly a decade: he takes small commissions — terracotta and a few marble portrait busts — and supports himself with small works like crucifixes. He is aided by friends, among them Pietro da Cortona and his fellow Bolognese Domenichino; he was also a friend of François Duquesnoy, Andrea Sacchi and Nicolas Poussin.
1625–1654 · Workplace
Rome
1644
Innocent X draws him to the papal court
With the death of the Barberini pope Urban VIII and the accession of the Pamphilj pope Innocent X, the Barberini fall into disfavor and Bernini receives fewer commissions; Algardi, by contrast, is embraced by the new pope and the pope's nephew Camillo Pamphilj. His portraits are highly prized, their formal severity contrasting with Bernini's vivacity, and his large bronze of Innocent X is now in the Capitoline Museums.
1650
Meets Velázquez; commissions from Spain
He meets Diego Velázquez, who obtains commissions for his work from Spain: four chimney-pieces and the figures of the fountain of Neptune in the gardens of the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, and the tomb of the Count and Countess de Monterey in the Augustinian monastery at Salamanca.
in later years
A large studio, a fortune and pupils
In his later years he controls a large studio and amasses a great fortune. His classicizing manner is carried on by pupils such as Ercole Ferrata and Domenico Guidi, and Antonio Raggi initially trained with him (other accounts say all three then moved to Bernini); lesser-known assistants in his studio include Francesco Barrata, Girolamo Lucenti and Giuseppe Peroni.
