Ville e giardini di Roma: una corona di delizie (Villas and Gardens of Rome: a crown of delights)

The exhibition Ville e giardini di Roma: una corona di delizie (Villas and gardens of Rome: a crown of delights), at the Museo di Roma Palazzo Braschi, presents the development of garden art from the 16th to the second half of the 20th century in the capital. Rome boasts in facts, among its many treasures, an incomparable heritage of historic gardens, comprising no fewer than forty complexes, including ancient noble villas now open to the public, promenades, and eclectic gardens from the early 20th century.

In past times, historic gardens were a symbol of power, but also and above all of culture and refinement, as well as a propaganda tool for the popes, princes, and cardinals who owned these complexes: the exhibition traces their long history up to their transformation into public gardens. Through 190 works, including paintings and landscapes, many previously unpublished, visitors can experience the original appearance of villas and gardens that no longer exist or have been completely remodeled. The works on display also demonstrate the popularity of Roman gardens in the pictorial imagination, their use as a scenic backdrop for parties, celebrations, and displays of power.

Among the most notable works on display are the various depictions of Villa Borghese, one of the most beloved and frequented villas by artists, and Villa Medici, a favorite subject for pensionnaires. Also of interest is the selection of paintings dedicated to villas now sadly lost, such as Villa Ludovisi and Villa Montalto Peretti, which allow visitors to understand the enormous loss of a heritage of art and nature, while simultaneously admiring its beauty in all its beauty, with a sense of profound nostalgia.

In addition to numerous works from the Capitoline collections, the exhibition also features loans from important Italian and international museums, including the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the Musée national du Château de Fontainebleau, the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, the Národní Galerie in Prague, the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne, the Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, the Vatican Museums and Library, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Museum and Royal Wood of Capodimonte in Naples, the State Archives of Rome, the Accademia dei Lincei, the Accademia di San Luca, and other public and private collections.

ACCESSIBILITY

With the exhibition Villas and gardens of Rome: a crown of delights, the Capitoline Superintendency renews its commitment to making temporary exhibitions accessible and enjoyable to a diverse audience. It will include the opportunity to listen to in-depth discussions on selected works and enjoy tactile audio descriptions of selected reproductions. Guided tactile-sensory tours are also available upon reservation for accompanied blind and visually impaired visitors. Tours using sign language (LIS) will also be scheduled for deaf visitors.

N. Dorigny, Neptune and Triton, Section 1 (The Villas of the Sixteenth Century) > PDF > AUDIO

Anonymous, Villa Bracciano, Section 2.1 (The Villas of the Seventeenth Century) > PDF > AUDIO

Designer Casa Giraud, The "Vascello" Giraud, Section 2.2 (The Villas of the Seventeenth Century) > PDF > AUDIO

J.S. Van den Abeele, Villa Paolina, Section 3 (Eighteenth-Century Villas) > PDF > AUDIO

Anonymous, Casino Spithover (Capitoline Historical Archives), Section 4 (The Nineteenth Century) > PDF > AUDIO

G. P. Leroux, A Walk on the Pincio, Section 5 (Living in a Villa) > PDF > AUDIO

C. Montani, Parco Flaminio, Section 6 (The Roman Garden in the Twentieth Century) > PDF > AUDIO

Sensory Audio Descriptions:

Text and Voice: Laura Panarese

Map and Tactile Tables: Maria Cucchi, Roberta De Marco.

Photo credits: Joseph Heinz the Younger, View of the Villa Borghese, circa 1625, oil on canvas, private collection