Scipione Caffarelli

Scipione Caffarelli (1576–1633) was an Italian cardinal and a significant figure in the Borghese family's rise to prominence in Rome. He was the nephew of Pope Paul V, who adopted him into the Borghese family and named him a cardinal.1

While Caffarelli played a role in church politics, his primary passion was the arts. He is most recognized for discovering and supporting the young artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a sculptor and architect of the Italian Baroque period. Caffarelli used his considerable wealth from various church offices to fund the restoration and construction of churches and palaces in Rome. His most ambitious project was the Villa Borghese, where he amassed an impressive collection of paintings and sculptures.1