In September 1644, the election of Pope Innocent X Pamphilj catapulted his family to the height of Roman society. From that moment on, the Pamphilj became active patrons of the arts, which were harnessed as the visual expression of the family’s new identity. Set within the social, religious and cultural context of Rome, the papers will examine the contributions of three generations of patrons: Innocent X; Prince Camillo Pamphilj (the pope’s nephew) and his wife, Princess Olimpia Aldobrandini; and their son, Cardinal Benedetto Pamphilj . In particular, this interdisciplinary conference will consider the influential role of the heretofore obscure patron, Benedetto Pamphilj, in shaping the visual arts, music and literature of late Baroque Rome, from his elevation as cardinal in 1681 until his death in 1730.