Editing Pope Urban VIII (section)

===Patron of the arts===
Urban VIII expended vast sums bringing polymaths like [[Athanasius Kircher]] to Rome and funding various substantial works by the sculptor and architect [[Bernini]], from whom he had already commissioned ''[[Boy with a Dragon]]'' around 1617 and who was particularly favored during Urban VIII's reign. As well as [[Busts of Pope Urban VIII|several portrait busts of Urban]], Urban commissioned Bernini to work on the family palace in Rome, the [[Palazzo Barberini]], the college of the [[Propaganda Fide]], the [[Fontana del Tritone]] in the [[Piazza Barberini]], the [[St. Peter's Baldachin|baldacchino]] and ''[[cathedra]]'' in [[St Peter's Basilica]] and other prominent structures in the city. Numerous members of Barberini's family also had their likeness caught in stone by Bernini, such as his brothers [[Statue of Carlo Barberini|Carlo]] and [[Bust of Antonio Barberini (Bernini)|Antonio]]. Urban also had rebuilt the Church of [[Santa Bibiana]] and the Church of [[San Sebastiano al Palatino]] on the [[Palatine Hill]].

The Barberini patronised painters such as [[Nicolas Poussin]] and [[Claude Lorrain]]. One of the most eulogistic of these artistic works in its celebration of his reign, is the huge ''[[Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power (Cortona)|Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power]]'' painted by [[Pietro da Cortona]] on the ceiling of the large salon of the Palazzo Barberini.
[[File:Portland Vase BM Gem4036 n4 resized white-balanced white bg.png|thumb|The Barberini Vase, now renamed the Portland Vase]]
Another such acquisition, in a vast collection, was the purchase of the 'Barberini vase'. This was allegedly found at the mausoleum of the Roman Emperor [[Severus Alexander]]  and his family at Monte Del Grano. The discovery of the vase is described by [[Pietro Santi Bartoli]] and referenced on page 28 of a book on The Portland Vase.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Portland Vase : the extraordinary odyssey of a mysterious Roman treasure|last=Brooks, Robin (Robin Jeremy)|date=2004|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-051099-4|edition=1st|location=New York, NY|oclc=54960357|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/portlandvaseextr0000broo_w1m0}}</ref> Pietro Bartoli indicates that the vase contained the ashes of the Roman Emperor. However, this together with the interpretations of the scenes depicted on it are the source of countless theories and disputed 'facts'. The vase remained in the Barberini family collection for some 150 years before passing through the hands of Sir [[William Hamilton (diplomat)|William Hamilton]] Ambassador to the Royal Court in Naples. It was later sold to the [[William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland|Duke of Portland]], and has subsequently been known as the [[Portland Vase]]. Following catastrophic damage, this glass vase (1-25BC) has been reconstructed three times and resides in the [[British Museum]]. The Portland vase itself was borrowed and near copied by [[Josiah Wedgwood]] who appears to have added modesty drapery. The vase formed the basis of [[Jasperware]].