How did Francesco Borromini’s personality affect his relationships with patrons?

Francesco Borromini’s personality significantly strained his professional relationships, often leading to stormy interactions and impasses with his patrons. His character was marked by an intransigent, defiant, and melancholic disposition, which frequently clashed with the expectations of those who commissioned his work.1

Infamous for his fits of rage, Borromini was a withdrawn and lonely man who felt deeply resentful regarding what he perceived as a lack of just recognition for his labor. This bitterness extended to his professional associations; for instance, his relationship with the popular and outgoing Gian Lorenzo Bernini deteriorated into a public and destructive rivalry. While Borromini maintained contacts with prominent figures like the Spada family and Pope Innocent X, his inability to navigate social and professional expectations—combined with his volatile temperament—often complicated these connections. Ultimately, his intense, uncompromising nature and his tendency to view himself as a victim of professional neglect created a difficult environment that hindered his long-term stability with patrons.12