Art In Rome: Accademia Nazionale di San Luca

where: Piazza di San Luca, Palazzo Carpegna
getting there: from the right of the Trevi Fountain onto the Piazza di San Luca
open: Monday to Saturday 10:00-19:00
cost: free

The Accademia Nazionale di San Luca is a free museum located on the third floor of Palazzo Carpegna, just around the corner from the Trevi Fountain.

The Accademia di San Luca was an association of artists, sculptors and architects, founded in the 17th century and named for Saint Luke, the patron saint of the Roman painter's guild.

Some notable directors of the academy were Federico Zuccari, Domenichino, Bernini and Pietro da Cortona. Each artist was expected to donated a work of art and portrait when applying for or entering the academy.

Today the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca holds around 500 portraits and some important artworks and sculptures by Bernini, Raphael, Rubens, Guido Reni and Canova. The pieces on show are only a small percentage of the academy's collection.

I visited the gallery on a Tuesday a bit before lunch-time and I was the only tourist at this time.
I was also lucky enough to meet one of the art restorers who took time to answer some of my questions.