A major protagonist of Seicento architecture, Francesco Borromini (1599-1667) went on to become one of the masters of baroque Rome. Some of his most famous works include San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri and Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza. An artist of novel interpretation, he said that would never have given himself to the idea of being merely a “copyist,” although he declared the work of Michelangelo to be one of his points of departure.

Fundamentally changing the course of modern architecture, his work had a strong influence on the rise and spread of the rococo style throughout Europe.