Alessandra Borghese discusses the art of Adrian Ghenie

Peter Elfert visits the art collector and writer Alessandra Borghese, President of the Fondazione Ghenie Chapels, in her new home. Only a few months ago, she acquired the impressive apartment in the oldest part of Rome. It is furnished with paintings by the Swiss artist Sylvie Fleury, photographs by Letizia Battaglia, classic lamp designs from the 1960s by Vico Magistretti, and a coffee table with Roman mask medallions by the artist Piero Fornasetti. What is he here to discuss? Three new paintings by contemporary artist Adrian Ghenie in Sicilian churches. But let’s take things one step at a time.

The aristocratic Borghese family can look back on a history spanning almost 800 years, and culture and artistic patronage have played a significant role over the last 400 years. One of the best-known figures is Camillo Borghese, who served as Pope Paul V from 1605 to 1621. In 1612, he completed the façade of St Peter’s Basilica with architect Carlo Maderno and left his mark there with a large inscription directly above the main entrance. However, Paul V was not the sole builder of the papal basilica dedicated to the Prince of the Apostles Peter. In fact, 16 popes, as well as ten architects and artists, including Raphael, Bramante, and Michelangelo, contributed to its construction. A few decades later, the Baroque architect Bernini succeeded in perfecting and designing St Peter’s Square in a visually balanced manner with considerable finesse – such as the ascending steps leading up to the basilica. Naturally, having a pope in the family made the name famous worldwide, but their prestige had been established even three centuries earlier when they still resided in Tuscany. Agostino Borghese, for example, was knighted in Siena at the beginning of the 15th Century, while Pietro Borghese was elevated to Senator of Rome in the 16th Century. Another notable family member was Scipione Borghese, whom his uncle, Pope Paul V, appointed as a cardinal in 1605. Scipione was an art collector, patron, and the mastermind behind the construction of Villa Borghese, including the casino that now houses the Galleria Borghese, which holds an impressive collection of paintings featuring masterpieces by artists such as Titian, Raphael, and Caravaggio. In the magnificent rooms, visitors can also admire Baroque sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, including the world-famous lifesized portrait sculpture of the French princess Pauline Bonaparte Borghese by the sculptor Antonio Canova. The work was commissioned in 1805 by Pauline Bonaparte's husband, Prince Camillo Borghese.

As we stand before the 17th-Century house and ring the bell, we hear: Please come to the third floor. In the lift, we stand lined up like organ pipes and, unsurprisingly, arrive at the wrong floor. Alessandra opens the tall door to her new Roman home – a delicate figure with an energetic yet amiable presence. She is wearing a red blouse by artist Yayoi Kusama and ankle boots by architectural icon Zaha Hadid. The apartment has recently been renovated, carefully blending modern elements with historical features such as the wooden ceilings. In Alessandra’s study hangs a painting by Jean-Charles Castelbajac, while in the living room, there is an oil painting by Aurelio Bulzatti depicting Villa Borghese with five artists positioned in front of it. Nearby, two black-and-white photographs of St Peter’s Basilica by Alessandra d’Urso are displayed, and her extensive bookshelf includes books ranging from Caravaggio to Anselm Kiefer. Alessandra was born in 1963 in Rome, the daughter of Prince Alessandro Romano Borghese and Fabrizia dei Conti Citterio. She studied at the University of Rome, earned a degree in economics, and worked for American Express in New York. She later returned to the Eternal City, curated art exhibitions, and authored numerous books. She rediscovered her faith and accompanied Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI on several of their travels as a Vatican expert. Today, she divides her time between Rome, Milan and Palermo, but she particularly enjoys the sun at her house on the volcanic island of Panarea.

In 2017, she was invited by her friend Thaddaeus Ropac to a dinner in the French capital in honour of the British artist duo Gilbert & George. Her table neighbour was the contemporary artist Adrian Ghenie. When the two briefly stepped out of the restaurant, they became engrossed in a lively conversation – and simply could not stop talking. Inside, the other guests wondered why they had not returned even after an hour, while outside, they remained completely absorbed in their discussion about art. Adrian told her back then that he would love to paint for a church – just like Michelangelo or Caravaggio once did. For him, that would pose a special challenge. Since that day, the two have shared a friendship which is based on realising art projects together.