Villa Medici, the French Academy in Rome, is showing an unusual side of Rome in its new exhibition Roma dei Bassifondi (Rome's Underworld). A selection of works by artists who lived in Rome during the period of the Counter Reform century reveal the secret life of the Eternal City, with its squalor, poverty, brothels, low taverns, gambling dens and dubious characters, as portrayed by Lorrain, Valentin de Boulogne, Tournier, Rďnier, Manfredi, de Ribera, van Laer and others of the Bamboccianti school. The great Caravaggio is conspicuous by his absence, but will be represented when the exhibition moves in January to Paris.

Info: tel. (+39) 06.67611-  www.villamedici.it