Artistic heritage

Founded in Rome in 1884, Bvlgari treasures the Eternal City as an endless source of inspiration and an unmissable cultural destination that ignited the Maison’s international fame. Bvlgari's patronage projects aim to preserve Roman and Italian artistic heritage, transmitting its value intact to future generations and the whole world.


 

White on black sketch of Rome's Colosseum, the landmark that inspired the B.zero1 ring. White on black sketch of Rome's Colosseum, the landmark that inspired the B.zero1 ring. White on black sketch of Rome's Colosseum, the landmark that inspired the B.zero1 ring.

Artistic heritage

"Bvlgari's cultural patronage contributes to restoring iconic monuments and archaeological areas that need to be brought to light—or rediscovered in a new light."

Man at work for the restoration of the Spanish Steps in Rome, financed by Bulgari as a patronage initiative. Man at work for the restoration of the Spanish Steps in Rome, financed by Bulgari as a patronage initiative. Man at work for the restoration of the Spanish Steps in Rome, financed by Bulgari as a patronage initiative.

The Spanish Steps

In 2014, Bvlgari committed to giving back to the city of Rome and chose to restore the Spanish Steps with a donation of 1.5 million euros. The Spanish Steps are at the heart of Bvlgari's history as the connection between Via Sistina—where the Roman jeweler Sotirio Bvlgari opened his first shop in 1884—and the present-day store in Via dei Condotti. 
Working closely with the Municipality of Rome, the restoration works focused on cleaning, consolidating and protecting all the stone surfaces, including functionally restoring the steps to ensure that they are safe to use. The static stability of the upper ramps' containment walls was also checked. The lighting system was renewed with modern LED technology, 16 cast-iron lampposts were restored and, lastly, the video surveillance equipment was upgraded. 
             

Caracalla Baths

In 2015 and 2016, Bvlgari sponsored the restoration of the mosaics in the western palaestra of the Caracalla Baths, the finest example of great Roman baths and one of the biggest thermae complexes in antiquity. The mosaics are a masterpiece of the imperial age and one of the most complete decorative cycles remaining today in Rome. The work, carried out by the Superintendency, recovered floor mosaics in precious polychrome marble featuring an elegant fan motif that had not been visible to visitors for over 40 years, as they were covered with fabric and a layer of earth in order to protect them from potential damage. After a preliminary clean, the floor was reinforced to avoid collapsing; this phase saw the recuperation of many buried tesserae, which made it possible to fill the gaps in the mosaic with original pieces. 
 

Floor fan-shaped mosaic at the Roman Caracalla Baths whose restauration has been funded by Bulgari. Floor fan-shaped mosaic at the Roman Caracalla Baths whose restauration has been funded by Bulgari. Floor fan-shaped mosaic at the Roman Caracalla Baths whose restauration has been funded by Bulgari.
Statue part of the Torlonia Marble collection whose restauration has been funded by Bulgari. Statue part of the Torlonia Marble collection whose restauration has been funded by Bulgari. Statue part of the Torlonia Marble collection whose restauration has been funded by Bulgari.

Fondazione Torlonia

In 2017, Bvlgari signed an agreement with the Fondazione Torlonia to augment its private collection of classical statuary, currently the most important in the world. More than 90 Greek and Roman statues of the Torlonia Collection have been returned to their original splendor thanks to an accurate restoration carried out by Fondazione Torlonia after scrupulous studies. Bvlgari's involvement is a tribute to its Greek-Roman roots and one of many initiatives the Maison has invested in to preserve the artistic heritage of the Eternal City. Bvlgari’s financial commitment also extended to a tour of the collection in major Italian and international museums that will end with the identification of a permanent exhibition venue in Rome for the new Museo Torlonia. 
            

Ara Pacis

In 2019, Bvlgari announced it would be financing the re-lighting of the Ara Pacis and its museum exhibition spaces. The Ara Pacis Augustæ was unveiled in the year 9 BC in celebration of Emperor Augustus’ pacification of the Roman Empire. Its splendid friezes, amongst the most important made in the first imperial era, celebrate the family of the first emperor, Rome’s main priestly colleges, and the divine protectors of the Eternal City. The project, carried out by the Capitoline Superintendency under the supervision and art direction of Richard Meier, was completed in 2021. The lighting upgrade involved replacing the halogen lamps in all the museum’s rooms with new-generation LED bulbs. The new lighting system of the exhibition spaces was also improved by installing new track lights and more lighting points and lamps, all powered by LED technology. The works also implied a significant energy saving and reduction of the system’s maintenance costs. 

            

View of the Ara Pacis in Rome whose sustainable relamping has been funded by Bulgari. View of the Ara Pacis in Rome whose sustainable relamping has been funded by Bulgari. View of the Ara Pacis in Rome whose sustainable relamping has been funded by Bulgari.
Archaeological site of Largo Argentina, Rome, whose barrier-free access project was financed by Bulgari. Archaeological site of Largo Argentina, Rome, whose barrier-free access project was financed by Bulgari. Archaeological site of Largo Argentina, Rome, whose barrier-free access project was financed by Bulgari.

Area Sacra in Largo Argentina

The Area Sacra in Largo Argentina is the largest complex from the Republican period. It hosts four Roman temples dating from the 4th to the 2nd centuries BC and includes the tuff base of Pompey's Curia, where Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15th in 44 BC (the famous “Ides of March”), as described by Cicero. Thanks to Bvlgari’s commitment starting in 2019, the site will be accessible and open to regular visits by Roman residents and tourists for the first time. The planned works involve building walkways that will make it possible to explore the area safely, turning an area currently being used to store artefacts into a museum, and setting up all the services the public will require to comfortably enjoy the site, including a program of LED lights providing atmospheric illumination after sundown. 
            

Other Patronage Projects

In 2006, the Maison restored the magnificent 16th-century gilded stuccos of Scala d’Oro in the Doge's Palace as part of the ambit of the “Restaura-azione” project promoted by Fondaco Italia. 
In 2016, two paintings by Paolo Veronese from the church of San Pietro Martire in Murano—Saint Jerome in the Desert and Saint Agatha Visited in Prison by Saint Peter—were restored by Venetian Heritage with the support of Bvlgari. 
In 2019, to mark participation in Milan Design Week, Bvlgari displayed two installations in the Planetarium of Milan that explored the connection between design, science and art, inspired by the iconic B.zero1 ring. For the occasion, the Maison restored the 330 original seats and benches in the central area of the Planetarium in homage to its architect, Piero Portaluppi, whose distinctive 1930s style inspired the Bvlgari store in Via Monte Napoleone and represents a bond between Bvlgari and the city of Milan. 
            
             

Facade of the Planetarium Ulrico Hoepli in Milan, part of Bulgari's patronage initiatives. Facade of the Planetarium Ulrico Hoepli in Milan, part of Bulgari's patronage initiatives. Facade of the Planetarium Ulrico Hoepli in Milan, part of Bulgari's patronage initiatives.
Back