House of the sixteenth century on the site of the HORTI SALLUSTIANI belonging first to Cardinal Del Nero and later to Cardinal Del Monte, who was the protector of Caravaggio hosted by him in the current Palazzo Madama
Renewed 1621/23 for the Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi
Expanded in the nineteenth century
It is all that remains of the buildings of the VILLA LUDOVISI with the Palazzo Grande now incorporated in the U.S. Embassy
GROUND FLOOR
ENTRANCE
Vault with "Janus quadrifronte"
HALL OF THE AURORA (Sala dell'Aurora)
Lovely temper "Chariot of Aurora" and, in a lunette a wonderful allegory of "Night" 1621 by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri aka Guercino (1591/1666) with decorations imitating architecture by Agostino Tassi (1578/1644)
It was inspired by the book "Iconology" by Cesare Ripa already published in 1593 and reissued in 1618 and it was the answer to the "Aurora" which had been painted by Guido Reni seven years before for the Borghese family in the current Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi
"Guercino creates a visual effect in the infinite space: he goes beyond the Carracci solutions of images within frameworks and conceives a vast, limitless and celestial light in which the chariot of Dawn suddenly appears. The full effects of light and shadow as well as the mobility of the air give emotional quality to the representation. Moreover the extreme freedom of execution gives sketchy effects to the whole composition, especially to the beautiful pastoral landscapes that break up the rigors of architecture. Compared to the balanced and composed interpretation of Guido Reni, Guercino's one announces the suggestions of aerial illusionism. Guercino's naturalist sensibility inspired by Carracci is particularly evident in the personification of Night, where she manages to infuse a feeling of sweet melancholy evoked by the moonlight of the night sky" (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)
ROOM OF THE FIREPLACE or OF THE LANDSCAPES
"Four Landscapes" Giovanni Francesco Barbieri aka Guercino, G.B. Viola, Paul Brill (1554/1626) and Domenico Zampieri aka Domenichino (1581/1641)
Ceiling maybe by Antonio Circignani aka Pomarancio (about 1568/1629), son of Niccolò Circignani
The landscapes were executed before the Aurora and it was perhaps the test case for the choice of the painter of the Aurora
ROOM OF THE CUPIDS
Ceiling with "Procession of Cupids" maybe by Antonio Circignani aka Pomarancio
PIANO NOBILE
ROOM NEXT TO THE ENTRANCE (Alchemic Cabinet)
In the vault "Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto with zodiac signs" 1597 only known work painted with oil on plaster by Michelangelo Merisi aka Caravaggio (1571/1610)
Audacious and breathtaking close-up perspective view, rich in mysterious symbolism where the three faces are probably Caravaggio's self-portraits. It was cleared from the layer of soot and virtually rediscovered only in 1990 after the revealing restoration by Maria Grazia Bernardini
"Caravaggio shows a deep grasp of illusionary achievements in northern Italy, with particular reference to Giulio Romano and his frescoes in the Palazzo Te in Mantua. The theme and the interest in the chemistry of Cardinal Del Monte gave rise to many controversial allegorical interpretations" (Caravaggio Monograph - Mondadori)
"Really it must have seemed incomprehensible the natural rendition of the bodies of naked men and animals resulting not from the timeless world of classical mythology, but from observation of concrete models chosen in the Roman streets: Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto have abandoned for a moment their clothes of Roman butchers, innkeepers and porters to climb a ledge and offer Caravaggio a new perspective from which he could look at the world of the ancient gods without any awe" (Vincenzo Farinella)
HALL OF FAME
Ceiling "Fame with Honor and Virtue" by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri aka Guercino with painted architectonical decorations by Agostino Tassi
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