Palazzo Farnese

Ministero dei beni e delle attività
attivit culturali e del turismo
Palazzo Farnese
Caprarola
PRELATES FLOOR
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PALAZZO FARNESE
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SPRING ROOM
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CARDINAL ALESSANDRO FARNESE
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SUMMER ROOM
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AUTUMN ROOM
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GUARDROOM
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WINTER ROOM
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THE COURTYARD
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WINTER APARTMENT
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ROOM OF JUPITER
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ROYAL STAIRCASE
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PALAZZO FARNESE
1559 - 1575
The palace was built by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese. Renowned in every period, it
was designed by Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola and is unanimously considered his
masterwork. The massive building and its relationship to the town make it a tangible
sign of power, while its architectural features reveal its complex genesis.
The residence was built onto the foundations of an incomplete fortified castle dating to
1521-1534, commissioned from Antonio da Sangallo the Younger by Alessandro Farnese Sr.,
the cardinal's grandfather and future Pope Paul III. The pentagonal plan, moat and corner
bastions derive from the first project: everything else was skilfully devised by Vignola to
transform the original stronghold into a palace-cum-villa. He also designed the system of
stairways and the piazza connecting the building with the town,
town, as well as the long straight
street that creates a feeling of perspective and ceremony, and necessitated the radical
reorganization of the layout of the town.
The wall decoration (1560-1583) that unfolds throughout the interior is extraordinary,
one of the most important late-Mannerist pictorial cycles. History, mythology and the
Bible are the themes chosen to indicate the function of the rooms and to glorify the
commissioner, his family and the Farnese possessions.
Two secret gardens (1563-1583), designed by Vignola but completed after his death, were
annexed to the residence. Higher up, near a small building known as the "Casina del
Piacere", Jacopo del Duca and Giovanni Antonio Garzoni built a system of fountains and
terraces (1584-1586), later reworked by Girolamo Rainaldi for Alessandro's great
grandson, Cardinal Odoardo Farnese.
In 1731 the complex was inherited by the Bourbons of Naples; since 1941 it is
owned by the Italian state.
Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo
CARDINAL
ALESSANDRO FARNESE
(Valentano 1520 - Rome 1589)
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Alessandro Farnese was born at Valentano, near Lake Bolsena, at a time when the
Farnese were fully engaged in establishing themselves politically and socially. He was
drawn into power games at an early age when his grandfather, after whom he was
named, became pope as Paul III. Although still very young and, as the eldest child,
automatically destined to hold secular power, at that time Alessandro was the only
member of the family who could immediately be inserted in the ecclesiastical
hierarchies. Hence,
Hence, he was made a cardinal at just fourteen, a few weeks after Paul III's
election. This launched him on a remarkable career during which he accumulated
honours, benefits and titles that brought him enormous wealth.
From 1535 until his death, he held the title of Vice Chancellor which, among other
things, gave him the right to reside at Palazzo della Cancelleria, the Papal Chancellery in
Rome. He was Cardinal Protector for various nations and religious orders, and over time
headed five archbishoprics, nine episcopacies, nine governorates and four abbeys. During
his grandfather's papacy he was actively engaged in international politics and frequented
the leading European courts as papal legate; in the following years,
years, he was almost elected
pope twice.
His humanistic formation, the enormous wealth, and the thirst for self-aggrandizement,
made him the preeminent patron of the period, earning him the appellative "gran
cardinale". He knew Greek and owned a large library; he collected ancient statues, coins
and jewellery, and commissioned works from the leading artists, including Titian. He was
particularly drawn to the decorative arts and architecture, and took as much pride in the
buildings namely Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola and the church of the Ges
Gesù in Rome, as
he did in his beautiful daughter Clelia, whom he had with a lady-in-waiting at the court of
the Queen of France, Caterina de' Medici.
He died in Rome on 4 March 1589, with an income that amounted to a tenth of the total
papal revenues.
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GUARDROOM
Federico Zuccari e aiuti, 1567
The room, whose large size facilitated the use of arms, was assigned to the guard
service. The decoration exalts the master of the house: on the ceiling, three coats of
arms celebrate the Farnese, who were related to the Habsburgs and the royals of
Portugal, while the views of the palace and the town under reconstruction evoke
Alessandro's merits as the creator of "Caprarola Nova".
The two large painted views on the wall opposite the entrance underscore the owner's
commitment to defend Christianity,
Christianity, as a member of the commission set up by Pius IV
to oppose the Turkish threat. The view on the right depicts the liberation of Malta in
1565 from the long siege by Suleiman the Magnificent; the one on the left, the
Christian fleet setting sail from Messina.
The decoration was executed by Federico Zuccari and his workshop; the overall design
for the division of the vault, by Antenore Ridolfi. The six imaginary landscapes on the
ceiling have been attributed to the Flemish artist Cornelis Loots.
The adjacent circular room, now the ticket office, is indicated as the "armoury" on the
first plans. The extensively restored ceiling, an early example of late Mannerist
perspective painting, was executed by Vignola, possibly in 1567, to make the room
seem higher, since the cardinal thought it too low in relation to the width.
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Views of Caprarola
Imaginary landscapes
Coat of arms of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese
Coat of arms of prince Alessandro Farnese
Coat of arms of duke Ottavio Farnese
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THE COURTYARD
1559 - 1579
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The heart of the building, the courtyard is characterized by its circular shape, which is
extremely rare for the period in which it was built.
The idea of a round courtyard within a pentagon is already visible in a study by
Antonio da Sangallo for the fortified castle at Caprarola, while Baldassarre Peruzzi
had submitted a pentagonal design. However, the circular shape was something
expressly desired by Vignola and Alessandro Farnese and, in all likelihood, had
symbolic overtones linked above all to the display
display of power, as in illustrious
precedents such as the Palace of Emperor Charles V in Granada and Villa Madama,
commissioned by Pope Leone X, in Rome.
The court is surrounded by porticoes on two levels. On the ground floor, twenty twin
pillars are alternated with ten arches, creating a rhythm that is reprised in the loggia on
the piano nobile and developed vertically through the use of a triumphal arch with
Ionic half-columns (modelled on Bramante's Belvedere Courtyard in the Vatican).
The two upper floors
floors of the palace, reserved for the cardinal's "family", are set back
and invisible from below. This expedient preserves the harmony of the proportions,
since the height of the courtyard more or less corresponds to its diameter (c. 21
metres) and conceals the secondary spaces to focus the attention on the master's
domain. Following the same logic, Vignola placed the kitchens and service rooms
underneath the courtyard.
The grotesque mask in the centre of the court, which functions as an impluvium, is by
G.. B. de Bianchi.
The decoration in the portico was executed between 1579 and 1581, probably under
Antonio Tempesta's supervision. In the circular vault, trellises covered with fruit and
flowers and populated by different kinds of birds, allow glimpses of a painted sky. On
the wall a series of forty-six coats of arms celebrate the families related to the
Farnese.
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ROOM OF JUPITER
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1560 - 1562
The prestigious room leading into the summer apartment was originally used to receive
guests and was first known as the "Room of the Perspective Views", after the room
painted by Baldassarre Peruzzi at the Villa Farnesina in Rome, which appears to have
inspired the wall decorations here.
The present name is taken from the subject treated in the vault which, between 1560
and 1562, was painted with seven scenes relating to Jupiter's childhood: saved by his
mother from being devoured by his father Saturn, the young god was placed in the
care of nymphs and raised on Mount Ida in Crete with the help of the goat Amalthea,
whom Jupiter later rewarded by elevating her to the heavens as a constellation.
The story and figures are an overt play on the name of the town in which the palace
stands: Caprarola, so-called because it was founded by goat breeders (the Italian word for
goat is capra). Jupiter can be identified with Cardinal Alessandro, while Amalthea is a
subtle reference to the town that offered him refuge and hence was destined to rise to
fame.
The trompe l'oeil architecture on the walls, designed by Vignola and painted by his son-inlaw G. B. Fiorini, makes the room even more imposing by creating the illusion of expanded
space; the arts and disciplines related to architecture are also celebrated by the allegorical
gilded statues in the niches.
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Birth of Jupiter
Nymphs with the Goat Amalthea
Amalthea suckles the young Jupiter
Nymphs fill Amalthea's broken horn with flowers
and fruit
5 The cornucopia is presented to Jupiter
6 Vulcano offers Jupiter the shield made with
Amalthea's hide
7 Amalthea transformed into a constellation
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SPRING ROOM
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1560 - 1562
This is the first of the rooms dedicated to the Seasons, following an order in which
the beginning of the year coincides with the reawakening of nature, in keeping with
the ancient tradition.
Here the seasons, which are usually represented by men and women accompanied by
the standard attributes, are depicted as nude youths with attributes that are mostly
unusual. The youth representing Spring is wearing a crown of myrtle, a plant sacred to
Venus, which possibly suggests springtime loves and the vitality of the season. Other
details in the panel seem to allude to the same themes, while the three blue fleurs-delys displayed by the putto are explicit references to the Farnese coat of arms. The
horn in the foreground, from which vapours rise, possibly symbolizes Sleep, which is
induced by the season.
The four side panels represent the Rape of Europa, which took place in springtime; the
Rape of Proserpine, symbolizing the cyclical reawakening of nature; the Metamorphosis
of Proteus, and Hercules wrestling with Achelous, the last two scenes alluding to the
variety of spring. The river god Achelous, like Proteus, had the power to change his
appearance: in the scene represented here he assumes the form of a bull, and Hercules,
whom he is fighting for the hand of Dejanira, pulls out one of his horns. Like
Like Amalthea's
horn, that of Achelous will be transformed into a cornucopia by nymphs.
The celebration of the goat is subtly perpetuated through the motifs of horns and
cornucopiae; it begins in the Room of Jupiter and continues in those that follow.
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Spring
Rape of Europa
Rape of Proserpine
Metamorphosis of Proteus
Hercules wrestling with Achelous
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SUMMER ROOM
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1560 - 1562
Summer is clearly evoked in the ceiling panel through the traditional attributes: the
wheat in the background, the scythe and the garlands woven from ears of wheat.
The meaning of the other objects depicted in the panel is less clear. Many of them are
references to the cult of the god Pan, such as the mask with goat's horns, the panpipe,
the pine cone and the twisted rod. The works of coeval mythographers enable us to
interpret the allusions to this sylvan divinity as a subtle celebration of the goat
Amalthea.
Amalth
ea.
Here particular prominence is given to the signs of the zodiac, which in the other rooms of
the Seasons are relegated to the frames. The central position of Cancer, which does not
conform to the usual sequence of the signs, may refer to an important event for the Farnese
family that occurred in the period of the year ruled by this constellation. In fact, the rainbow
on which the family emblem, the famous blue fleur-de-lys (resembling an iris, which is also
the name of the rainbow goddess) stands out clearly,
clearly, is a symbolic reference to the Farnese.
Mythological stories inspired by the seasons are depicted on the walls. The fall of
Phaeton focuses on the summer heat, by accentuating the blazing sky lit up by the sun
chariot the youth was unable to control. On the opposite wall is depicted Ceres - the
goddess of the harvest and the classic personification of summer - holding a horn of
plenty while receiving offerings after the harvest. The other two panels show Ceres'
adopted son, Triptolemus, who, on the one hand, prepares the fields for cultivation by
by
burning the stubble and on the other, scatters seeds. The ears of wheat associated with
summer return in the festoons and in the rich frieze with plant motifs above the cornice
from which the vault rises.
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Summer
The call of Phaeton
Tribute to Ceres
Triptolemus burning the stubble
Triptolemus scattering seeds
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AUTUMN ROOM
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1560 - 1562
The decoration of this room revolves around the theme of the grape, a typical
autumnal fruit, and the figure of the god Bacchus, celebrated in myth as the inventor
of wine.
Although Autumn was usually identified with Bacchus, here the season is represented
by the figure of a youth, as in the other rooms of this apartment; however, in the
central panel the god of wine is evoked by his attributes: the panther, thyrsus and
bacchant mask.
The god Bacchus is the sole protagonist of the tondi in the ovals
ovals on the sides of the
vault. The sequence begins with the birth of the god, a scene depicted with
remarkable naturalism, and continues with a pivotal episode from his childhood: the
young Bacchus, born of Jupiter's adulterous liaison with Semele, is dismembered by
the Titans on Juno's orders, boiled in a cauldron and brought back to life by his
grandmother Rhea, who recomposes the pieces of his body. The dismemberment,
boiling and resurrection of the god are recounted simultaneously, and possibly allude
to the harvesting, treading and fermenting of grapes in the wine-making process. In
the other tondo, Bacchus makes ivy and vines grow on his ship to escape from the
pirates who had attempted to kidnap him. The cycle ends with the god led in triumph
by the traditional procession.
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Autumn
Birth of Bacchus
Dismemberment, boiling and resurrection of Bacchus
Bacchus' ship
Triumph of Bacchus
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WINTER ROOM
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1560 - 1562
1562
The central panel of the vault is a representation of winter: a desolate landscape,
characterized by bare trees, in which a youth is dragging an animal, perhaps to suggest
a hunting scene. In the part of the fresco now lost there was a mask lying on the
ground. Although this iconographic element recurs in the depictions of the Seasons in
the other rooms at Caprarola, it is still difficult to interpret precisely.
The octagons on the sides of the vault frame mythological scenes representing the
weather in this
this hard season, above all wind and rain.
The four scenes describe different episodes that are probably linked, some of which
are taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses: infuriated by the impiety of Lycaon's sons,
Jupiter decides to destroy humanity with a flood; after convening a Council of the
Gods, he orders Vulcan to enchain Boreas, the dry north wind, and commands Aeolus
to release the rain-bearing south winds. Deucalion and Pyrrha will survive the flood
and create a new human race.
As in the other rooms,
rooms, the refined ornamentation with grotesques reprises the themes
of the season. The lit braziers, the cloaked figures warming themselves by the fire and
the youths pouring water, convey the cold and damp of winter; even the panoplies
and armour hanging from the baldachins are in keeping with the theme, since the
rigours of winter usually resulted in the suspension of military activities.
1 Winter
2 The council of the Gods decides to exterminate
mankindwith the flood
3 Vulcan enchains Boreas
4 Aeolus releases the winds
5 Deucalion and Pyrrha survive the flood
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WINTER APARTMENT
PRELATES FLOOR
The next five rooms comprise the winter apartment, which was developed along the
southwest, and sunniest, side of the palace. They were decorated by Federico Zuccari
and assistants between 1567 and 1569, with heraldic devices and others from the
Farnese coat of arms.
The decoration in the large room, traditionally known as the Theatre Room or Room
of the Swans, reprises that of a ceiling by Giulio Romano in Villa Madama, Rome,
which was owned by the Farnese at the time. The presence of Odoardo Farnese's
crest
cre
st between the swans in flight and the frieze with cardinal's hats, suggests a link
between these paintings and Odoardo's appointment as cardinal (1591). This is
confirmed by the chronicler who noted that the decoration in the winter apartment
was still not complete when Pope Gregory XIII visited Caprarola in 1578.
On the long sides of the vault are two painted sacrificial scenes.
In the following room, the Drawing Room, the decoration of the vault is more
complex, featuring a central panel with the Farnese
Farnese "emblem" of the Virgin with a
unicorn, framed by four imaginary landscapes.
In the three private rooms that complete the apartment, large coats of arms stand out
in the centre of the vaulted ceilings decorated with grotesques. The conception and
execution of the painting here is not of the same high standard as in the rest of the
palace, and it also reprises themes and subjects present in other rooms.
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ROYAL STAIRCASE
Antonio Tempesta and assistents, 1580 - 1583
A gem of 16th-century architecture, the Scala Regia, or Royal Staircase, was already
being hailed as a masterpiece of Vignola's by contemporaries, and was imitated several
times. The most original aspect of the structure is its helicoidal form, which is used in
an original way: the spiral stairs, which had always been adopted for practical reasons
and to provide access for the servants, became a grand staircase.
The design was inspired by Bramante's great "snail" in the Vatican, but the thirty twin
Doric columns echoed on the perimetral wall, the comfortable steps, the balustrade, the
dome, the artful lighting and rich decoration are the distinctive features that set this
staircase apart from the Bramantesque prototype from a monumental standpoint. They
also resulted in it being used as the model for the elliptical staircases built later in the
Quirinal Palace and Palazzo Barberini.
The Scala Regia starts on the basement floor, where it welcomed guests who arrived
by carriage; it provides access to the "prelates" floor, where those who arrived on foot
entered the building, and ends on the piano nobile, the destination of all illustrious
visitors.
The rich decoration that runs from top to bottom served to introduce those who
climbed it to the magnificent domain of the master of the house by constantly
evoking his identity and virtues. While the imaginary landscapes are intended to
delight the eye, the abundance of fleurs-de-lys, also on the peperino friezes, prepares
the visitor for the apotheosis on the dome, in which Alessandro is celebrated by a
complex allegory that revolves around his cardinal's crest. Along the ceiling, motifs
with grotesques reflect the achievements of the Farnese, celebrating the moral virtues
of the cardinal and his family. One of the most frequent motifs is the Virgin with a
unicorn in her lap, accompanied by the motto Virtus securitatem parit (Virtue provides
security), to indicate the need for a virtuous life. The others include an arrow hitting a
target, Pegasus, the Argonauts' ship, Jupiter's thunderbolts and fleurs-de-lys
surmounted by a rainbow.
Antonio Tempesta, to whom the landscapes are attributed, is documented as being
among the authors of the decoration, while the artist who painted the dome is still
unknown.
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NOBLE FLOOR
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AMBULATORY
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ROOM OF SOLITUDE or THE PHILOSPHERS
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LOGGIA OF HERCULES
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ROOM OF HERMATHENA
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LOGGIA OF HERCULES
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ROOM OF THE TOWER
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CHAPEL
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ROOM OF PENITENCE
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ROOM OF FARNESE DEEDS
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ROOM OF JUDGEMENT
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ROOM OF FARNESE DEEDS
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ROOM OF DREAMS
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ANTEROOM OF THE COUNCIL
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ANTEROOM OF THE ANGELS
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ROOM OF AURORA
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ROOM OF THE WORLD MAP
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ROOM OF THE WOOL-MAKERS
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ROOM OF THE WORLD MAP
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AMBULATORY
1576-1577
The Scala Regia passes through a small vestibule destined for the so-called "second
guard" and leads to the first-floor portico surrounding the courtyard. This circular
gallery serves to link the main rooms on the piano nobile, the gardens and the
servants' stairs leading to the upper levels.
The pictorial decoration was executed between 1576 and 1577, possibly - as is
traditionally held - under the supervision of Antonio Tempesta.
It consists mainly in grotesque motifs, which frame the heraldic devices on the ceiling
and the panels with landscapes, small monochrome scenes and various kinds of birds,
on the walls.
The ambulatory was mainly characterized by a series of busts of the twelve Caesars,
executed by Giovanni Battista de' Bianchi and modelled on the ones commissioned
from Tommaso della Porta by Cardinal Alessandro for Palazzo Farnese in Rome. The
busts of the first ten emperors were located in niches in the circular wall and those of
the last two, Titus and Domitian, were
were placed above the doors of the state rooms. The
busts were transferred to Palazzo Farnese, Rome, in 1861. King Francis II of
Bourbon had them removed by the architect Antonio Cipolla during an extensive
campaign of works to adapt the Farnese's Roman residence to the needs of the
Neapolitan court in exile.
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LOGGIA OF HERCULES
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NOBLE FLOOR
The large arches of this room, which were glassed in at an early date, previously opened
directly onto the sweeping panorama. The fountain, the glazed paving and the views painted
on the walls, clearly indicate that this was a half-open area.
The walls and the fountain (1572-1573)
The ten views on the walls depict the most important Farnese possessions, incorporating
the actual panorama admired from the loggia: on the short walls, the towns of the
Duchy of Castro and Ronciglione; above the doors, the capitals of the Duchy of Parma
and Piacenza. The four landscapes, now almost illegible, in the painted arches opposite
the large windows must have alluded to the seasons.
On the right of the fountain, the gentleman coming through the door can possibly be
identified as Fulvio Orsini, the Farnese's librarian and antiquarian, who almost certainly
devised the iconographic programme for the loggia.
The rustic fountain gave an added feeling of coolness: the water, which once gushed from
the sleeping cupid, was brought from the river depicted in the background, as part of a
landscape extending into the actual space. The rich stuccowork and mosaics give depth to
the backdrop, which extends to the Cipolin marble group featuring statues of youths intent
on pouring water into the large Giallo Antico marble basin.
The decoration was executed by skilled artisans who had previously worked on Villa
d'Este at Tivoli. The fountain itself is by Curzio Maccarone, an expert whose services
were vied for by the most illustrious patrons. The mosaic in the background is attributed
to Francesco da Tivoli or a young El Greco. The six statues of putti are only partly
antique and underwent restorations in the 16th century, some of which can be
attributed to Giovanni Battista de' Bianchi, a sculptor and restorer in the service of
Cardinal Alessandro.
The figurative composition of the fountain has been interpreted as an allegory of
baptism.
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LOGGIA OF HERCULES
NOBLE FLOOR
The vault and lunettes (1568-1569)
The feats of Hercules are represented, between elaborate stuccos featuring putti in
high relief, in the vault.
The larger panels (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) illustrate a myth linked to the local area, taken from
Servius' commentary on Virgil's Aeneid: while engaged in a trial of strength in the
Cimini Hills, Hercules plants a spear in the ground, from which Lake Vico springs
forth. The story is intended to celebrate Alessandro Farnese who had promised to
regulate the waters of the lake.
lake. His identification with Hercules is more explicit in the
panel illustrating the building of a temple to Hercules (5), where the architect in
charge of the project is a likeness of Vignola.
The smaller panels (6, 7, 8, 9) depict four of the twelve labours of Hercules, while the
lunettes represent Hercules' oxen being stolen by two thieves and Jupiter intervening
in his favour by unleashing a shower of stones.
The decoration in this room was begun by Federico Zuccari, who executed the central
panel, but was dismissed from the site following several disagreements with the
cardinal. He was replaced by Jacopo Zanguidi called Bertoja, who completed the
work, adapting his style to that of his predecessor. Three of the four labours of
Hercules in the smaller panels (7, 8, 9), are attributed to the Flemish painter
Bartholomew Sprangher.
THE ORIGIN OF LAKE VICO
1 Hercules plants a spear in the ground and challenges the shepherds to extract it
2 The young shepherds attempt to pull out the spear in vain
3 Hercules extracts the spear and the waters gush forth
4 Hercules lying in the waters of the lake
5 The inhabitants of the Cimini Hills erect a temple to Hercules
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THE LABOURS OF HERCULES
6 Hercules fights against the Centaurs
7 Hercules captures Cerebus
8 Hercules slays the Lernaean Hydra
9 Hercules kills the Cretan Bull
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CHAPEL
Federico Zuccari and assistents, 1566 - 1567
The circular chapel is placed symmetrically to the Scala Regia and communicates with
the portico via a small sacristy. The interior possesses a harmony deriving from the even
rhythm created by the design of the walls, ceiling and paving, and the refined use of
light filtered through the stained-glass windows. The floor designed by Vignola echoes
the dome and is enriched by heraldic fleurs-de-lys and precious marble tondi that mirror
the medallions in the vaulted ceiling.
The pictorial decoration is by Federico Zuccari, who in September 1566 replaced his brother
Taddeo, following his death a few days previously. In the dome are represented episodes
from the Old Testament; on the walls - where Federico's hand is more noticeable - full-length
figures of apostles accompany a Pietà
Piet between St. John the Baptist and the Marys at the
Tomb. Two of the apostles are portraits of Taddeo Zuccari (Jude Thaddaeus) and Vignola
(St. James the Great).
The Pietà
Piet that functions as an altarpiece is a mural replica of the magnificent panel that
Taddeo had painted for this chapel but which Federico chose to keep for himself.
The lunettes above the doors depict Gregory the Great, with the attribute of the dove,
St. Lawrence and St. Stephen, with their respective instruments of martyrdom, a
gridiron and stones. The stained-glass windows with four of the twelve apostles were
executed by a certain "Robert from Flanders", active also as a landscape painter at court.
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Creation of the stars
Creation of Eve
Universal flood
Sacrifice of Isaac
Crossing the Red Sea
Samuel consecrates David, anointing him with oil issuing from the horn
David receives tributes from subject peoples
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ROOM OF FARNESE DEEDS
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1561 - 1563
This magnificent large room is devoted to exalting the dynasty of the commissioner, as
was the Salotto in Palazzo Farnese, Rome, and the Room of the Hundred Days in the
Palazzo della Cancelleria, Cardinal Alessandro's residence in Rome.
The key achievements of the Farnese era are shown with solemnity, dated and
commented on by inscriptions in the classical style; the earliest episodes are illustrated
on the vaulted ceiling, and the most recent on the walls, where they are depicted in the
form of tapestries.
The themes were developed by Onofrio Panvinio, with Paolo Manuzio collaborating
on the epigraphs.
The ceiling evokes episodes relating to the family's period of ascent and territorial
affirmation (1100-1435). The four panels on the long sides (3, 4, 5, 6) celebrate Cardinal
Alessandro's ancestors as condottieri in the service of the Church or secular powers loyal to
it; the two investiture scenes (5, 6) emphasize the legitimacy of the power exerted. The tondi
on the short sides (1, 2) evoke memorable deeds accomplished by the Farnese at Orbetello
and Orvieto, both of which bordered on the Duchy of Castro.
In the centre of the vault is the early version of the Farnese coat of arms, which featured
sixteen fleurs-de-lys. The number was reduced first to nine and then six. Four allegorical
figures, representing the principles on which the glory of the Farnese was founded, look
out from as many oculi (a, b, c, d).
1 Pietro Farnese founds Orbetello after defeating the enemies of the
Church (1100)
2 Guido Farnese, prince of Orvieto, restores peace to the city (1313)
3 Pietro Niccolò
Niccol Farnese liberates Bologna from the Visconti siege (1361)
4 Pietro Farnese makes his triumphal entry into Florence after defeating the
Pisans (1362)
5 Ranieri Farnese is put in command of the Florentine Army
following the death of his brother Pietro (1362)
6 Ranuccio Farnese is appointed captain of the Papal Army of Eugene IV
and receives the insignia of the Golden Rose (1435)
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Allegory of Spiritual Sovereignty
Allegory of Temporal Sovereignty
Allegory of Fame
Fame
Allegory of Valour
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ROOM OF FARNESE DEEDS
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1561 - 1563
The walls illustrate the period when the dynasty's splendour was at its height. This
coincided with Paul III's papacy, during which the Farnese were able to assume roles
of considerable importance with the help of the pope and through shrewdly arranged
marriages.
The images on the short walls represent the positions to which Paul III appointed his
son Pier Luigi and grandson Orazio and the marriages that related the Farnese to the
imperial family and the royals of France. The portraits of Philip II and Hen
Henry
ry II are
tributes to the kings who ruled Spain and France at the time the room was decorated.
The large panels on the long walls extol the commissioner's successful completion of
sensitive diplomatic missions on behalf of the pope, and his merits in defending the
family interests.
The events are rendered with considerable attention to costume and ceremony distinctive signs of rank and power - and the features of the personages involved. The
room is a veritable gallery of portraits that could easily be recognized by
contemporaries, and were often borrowed from paintings executed for the Farnese by
Titian.
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Pier Luigi Farnese is appointed captain of the Church by Paul III (1535)
Orazio Farnese is made prefect of Rome by Paul III (1538)
Diet of Worms (1544)
Julius III returns Parma to the Farnese (1550)
Marriage of Ottavio Farnese and Margaret of Austria (1539)
Marriage of Orazio Farnese and Diane de France (1552)
The Lutheran War (1546) 7
Francis I welcomes Charles V, accompanied by Cardinal Farnese, to Paris (1540)
a Henry II of France
b Philip II of Spain
c Allegory of Rome
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ANTEROOM OF THE COUNCIL
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1561 - 1563
The anteroom connected the large reception room to the cardinal's more private rooms
in the summer apartment.
The decorative theme is still the glorification of the dynasty, which here focuses on the
figure of Paul III, the man who really made the family's fortunes. In fact, all the scenes
represented refer to salient episodes in his long papacy (1534-1549), marked by the
Turkish expansionist threat and serious political and religious crises, such as the
Anglican schism and Lutheran Reformation.
The room is named after the painting on the wall opposite the windows, which depicts the
Council of Trent (1545-1563) convened by the Farnese pope as a response to the
Protestants.
The female figures above the doors personify the virtues that flourished under Paul III.
They were devised by Annibal Caro and Fulvio Orsini, and modelled on ancient coins in
Cardinal Alessandro's collection. Onofrio Panvinio devised the historical scenes and
relative inscriptions.
The decoration is distinguished by the precious stuccos with a cameo effect and the
compositional scheme based on an illusionistic architectural framework conceived and
executed by Vignola, as were the painted Corinthian columns in the corners, which
functioned as ideal supports for the faux marble architraves, and were highly praised
by contemporaries.
VAULT
1 Investiture of Paul III (1534)
2 Paul III unites the imperial and venetian fleets against the Turks (1538)
3 Paul III excommunicates Henry VIII of England (1536)
4 Submission of Perugia after the rebellion against the salt tax (1540)
5 Paul III accompanies with prayers the imperial fleet as it sets sail
for Tunis (1535)
WALLS
1 Charles V pays tribute to Paul III after the victory at Tunis (1535)
2 Paul III appoints various Cardinals, four of whom are destined to become
Popes
P
opes
3 The truce of Nice between Charles V and Francis I (1538)
4 Opening of the Council of Trent
a. Merriment ((Hilaritas
Hilaritas)) b. Plenty c. Security d. Peace e. Religion f. Justice
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ROOM OF AURORA
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1563 - 1565
The Room of Aurora leads into the series of private rooms in the summer apartment,
which gradually become more intimate from the Anteroom of the Council on. The
now bare walls of these spaces, which are smaller than the reception rooms, were
once decorated with sumptuous silk or leather hangings, auctioned by the Farnese in
1681.
In this room, which was used as a bed chamber, there are allegorical personifications
of myths and divinities linked to the themes of night and sleep. In the central oval,
Aurora b
bursts
ursts in from the direction of the window, heralded by Twilight, and chases
Night away; on either side are the Moon and Mercury, who descends to earth to
induce sleep.
The painted architecture - possibly by Vignola - not only strengthens the false
perspective, but also makes the room seem taller to render more even the transition from
the anteroom to the bedroom, where the ceiling is lower. The iconographic programme
was devised by Annibal Caro, who gave the painter very precise instructions regarding
the subjects to be represented. The long letter filled with directions that he wrote to
Taddeo Zuccari was published by Giorgio Vasari, hence the room was already wellknown
kno
wn to contemporaries.
A large part of the oval with Aurora gradually fell away from the end of the 18th century
on, and was repainted by Andrea Giorgini under the supervision of Vincenzo Camuccin
Camuccinii
(1834).
Subjects related to Aurora
1 Vigilance
2 Cephalus, young lover of Aurora and father of her son Phaeton
3 Titan, Aurora's husband
Subjects related to Mercury
4 Sacrifices to Mercury
5 Lares, spirits and guardians of the home
6 Battus, deceitful shepherd turned to stone by Mercury
Subjects related to Night
7 Silence
8 Atlas holding up the celestial sphere with the night stars
9 Oceanus waits for Night to descend
Subjects related to the Moon
10 Sacrifices to placate the Lemures
11 Pan, enamoured of the Moon
12 Endymion, youth loved by the Moon
a Harpocrates , the egyptian God of silence
b Angerona, the Goddess of Secrecy
c The house of Sleep
d Brito, interpreter of Dreams
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ROOM OF THE WOOL-MAKERS
Taddeo Zuccari, 1563 - 1565
This room connects the summer apartment to the courtyard and the secret garden. It
is described in documents as "made for dressing"; in fact, both its position next to the
bedroom and the decorative theme confirm its function as a dressing room.
The scenes represented in the panels of the vaulted ceiling make reference to activities
like spinning, weaving, dyeing and, more generally, the making of clothes. Similar motifs
recur on the backgrounds with grotesques, where there are charming small female
figures busy with different kinds of yarn.
The central panel is dominated by Minerva, inventor of wool-making techniques, as
she teaches mankind to wear clothing, and is honoured with sacrifices in return.
The octagonal panel on the wall with the fireplace is devoted to the discovery of
purple by Hercules and Tyrus - a particularly pertinent subject in light of the room's
specific function, since purple is the colour associated with cardinals and must have
predominated in Alessandro's wardrobe. The presence of this subject has led to the
theoryy that Fulvio Orsini, who had a profound knowledge of the myth of Hercules,
theor
may have had a hand in developing the iconographic programme for the room, which
is generally attributed to Annibal Caro.
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Minerva teaches mankind to wear clothing
Arachne challenges Minerva to a weaving contest
Minerva destroys the looms and changes Arachne into a spider
Hercules and Tyrus discover purple on the beach when their
dog bites a mollusc and his muzzle is stained a purplish red
Hercules gives Tyrus the robe dyed purple in exchange for
which the Phoenician Nymph had promised him her hand
The God Pan tries to seduce the Nymph Syrinx by offering her
baskets of wool
The three Graces, the sisters of Minerva and companions of
Venus, at the Acidalia spring, after Cupid has stolen their
clothes
Chinese collecting mulberries to produce silk
Scythians gathering materials from the trees for spinning
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ROOM OF SOLITUDE or THE PHILOSPHERS
Taddeo Zuccari and assistents, 1565 - 1566
The room is a true hymn to solitude, inspired by Petrarch's De vita solitaria (The Life of
Solitude). It was Cardinal Alessandro's study. As in the Room of Aurora, the meaning
of the frescoes is explained in a letter written by Annibal Caro in which the scholar
discusses the "inventions for painting the Most Illustrious Monsignor Farnese's study"
with Onofrio Panvinio who was also involved in devising the iconographic
programme.
The two main panels on the vault depict different concepts of solitude: on the one hand,
as a means of strengthening the spirit for Christians; on the other, as the ultimate
aspiration for philosophers. Above the fireplace, Christ, St. John the Baptist and St. Paul
emerge from their isolation to take up preaching, while the philosophers depicted
opposite scornfully reject all contact with the world: a Platonist is gouging out his eyes
and a Cynic is hurling stones at onlookers.
In the smaller panels, there are portraits of those who have celebrated or practised
solitude, such as poets, philosophers and hermits; in the monochrome tondo in the
window embrasure, images of rulers like Charles the V and Diocletian, who abdicated
and withdrew from an active life.
Many animals symbolizing solitude are depicted, like the solitary sparrow, the hare and the
eagle. There are also others alluding to concepts of contemplation and the elevation of
the mind, such as the elephant, the phoenix and Pegasus, and of prudence, such as the
serpent. The white pelican nourishing its young with its own innards symbolizes selfsacrifice.
1 The solitude of Pagans
2 The solitude of Christians
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ANCIENT LAWMAKERS
3 Minos
4 Numa Pompilius
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ANCHORITE PHILOSOPHERS FROM FOUR DIFFERENT NATIONS
5 Gymnosphists - Indian
6 Hyperboreans - from the "North"
7 Essenes - Hebrews
8 Druids - Gauls
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PERSONAGES WHO HAVE ADDRESSED THE THEME OF SOLITUDE
Celestine V (9), Diogenes (10), Menander (11), Aristotle (12), hermits (13), Charles V (14), Seneca (15), Euripide (16), Solimano (17),
vision of St. Agostino (18), Catone (19), Cicerone (20)
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ROOM OF HERMATENA
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Federico Zuccari and assistents, 1566
The function of this room, which was Cardinal Alessandro's private study, is
confirmed by sources and its small size and unusually secluded position, which make it
an intimate space that lends itself to contemplation.
The large tondo in the centre of the ceiling, considered one of Federico Zuccari's best
autograph pieces, represents a figure combining Mercury and Minerva (the Greek
equivalents being Hermes and Athena), identified as Hermathena by a cartouche with a
Greek inscription.
The image symbolizes the union of eloquence and wisdom. Although rarely
represented, it was often evoked in humanist circles, in the manner of Cicero who was
the first to use it in the decoration for his Academy. It is possible that Alessandro
Farnese specifically requested the subject to stress his role as patron of the Accademia
Bocchiana, the prestigious institution for humanist studies whose insignia featured the
Hermes-Athena hybrid.
In the spandrels at the corners of the vault are depicted objects linked to the sciences
and arts, which allude, according to some readings, to the inventions of Mercury and
Minerva.
In the lunettes between the imposts of the vault there are panels with classicizing
landscapes. In one of them the Serapeum of Hadrian's Villa is recognizable and in
another, the episode of Ulysses with the sirens, a hymn to the desire for knowledge.
Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo
ROOM OF THE TOWER
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NOBLE FLOOR
Considered sacred to the Muses and the Arts by contemporaries, this room must also
have had a function linked to aesthetic pleasure and intellectual activities. Here, as in
his study, the cardinal most probably jealously conserved the wonderful objects in his
extraordinary collections - apart from his books, that is, which were arranged in a
room on the floor above.
The fact that rooms destined for valuable collections and intellectual activities were
concentrated in the apex of the pentagon suggests that this
this area of the palace,
assigned to exercising the mind, functioned as the actual "head" of the architectural
body.
The room was created in the palace's only tower, built onto the rear of the building
and located opposite the façade.
fa ade. We are now in the most intimate area, the part
farthest away from the public spaces and state rooms. On the other floors of the
tower there are rooms that are even more private, such as the cardinal's bathroom and
the library. The various levels are linked by a small spiral staircase, traditionally known
as the "scala del cartoccio" (staircase of the bag) due to its unusual banister rail, which
is shaped in such a way that a suitably weighted bag can slide all the way down to the
bottom, without falling
falling off.
Alessandro's coat of arms, surrounded by the Farnese devices, stands out prominently
on the coffered ceiling, which displays similarities to some of those in Palazzo
Farnese, Rome. The ceiling was executed in 1579 by a certain "master carpenter Marco
from Caprarola", whose workshop the cardinal also commissioned to execute the
coffered ceiling in the Roman church of San Lorenzo in Damaso of which he was
titular head.
The painted wall frieze with landscapes framed by heraldic unicorns rampant in the
the
corners, resembles a cornice over which soft folds of drapery hang. The frieze is the
expression of a figurative culture different from that of the Zuccari and closer to that
of Flemish painters; it is traditionally attributed to Bartholomew Sprangher, but is
possibly by Antonio Tempesta.
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ROOM OF PENITENCE
Jacopo Zanguidi called Bertoja, 1569 - 1571
The room leads into the series of chambers that comprise the winter apartment.
Although long held to be a dining room, it must have been another study.
With respect to the summer apartment where historical and mythological subjects
prevail, the decoration here is mainly based on religious themes linked to the Counter
Reformation and the climate associated with it. On a formal level, the style adopted by
the painter who executed the decoration, Jacopo Zanguidi called Bertoja, diverges from
that of the Zuccari, revealing more of an affinity with Parmigianino.
The room corresponds to that of Solitude and the ornamentation reprises the theme
of the latter but from a strictly religious standpoint: the heroes of the contemplative
life proposed as models of virtue are hermits, monks and anchorites, intent either on
meditation or penitence; fasting, prayer and the mortification of the flesh are
indicated as the means to achieve "self-denial and carry the cross of Christ". This
explains the exaltation of the cross in the central panel, to which all the paintings in
the rest of the vault relate.
The overall scheme for the decoration can be attributed to Cardinal Guglielmo Sirleto,
historian of the Church and Vatican librarian, who most probably devised the ddécor
cor
for the next two rooms as well. In line with the decrees of the Council of Trent,
which rejected the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith, the subjects
represented here stress the importance of good works and emphasize the value of
monasticism, which had been questioned by the Lutherans.
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Exaltation of the Cross
St. John the Baptist
St. Pambo
St. Pior
St. Macarius of Alexandria
St. Arsenius
Vision of St. Anthony
St. Macarius of Egypt
St. Paul the Hermit
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ROOM OF JUDGEMENT
Jacopo Zanguidi called Bertoja, 1569 - 1571
The decoration in this room praises the wisdom and justice of those who govern with
the assistance of God.
A typical example of this concept is the Judgement of Solomon in the centre of the
vault, which is accentuated by the scenes in the two large side lunettes: on the one
hand, Moses; on the other, the judges he appointed in the act of administering justice.
In the corners of the vaulted ceiling, four episodes show the consequences of obeying
or disobeying the laws of God: on the one side, we see two
two examples of punishment;
on the other, the construction of buildings dedicated to the Lord.
The presence of the Farnese emblem in one of the two last scenes, like the fleurs-delys exhibited by the putti in the tondi and ovals, clearly has a celebratory function and
also alludes to the benevolence and justice of the Farnese, who respect the laws of
God in their governance.
This was perhaps the room in which the cardinal granted audiences; in fact, the
passageways leading directly to the courtyard or outside, made it possible to regulate
access, thus ensuring the privacy of the adjacent rooms. This function does not respect
the symmetry with the corresponding room in the winter apartment, which served as a
dressing room; indeed, there are no elements in this room indicating that it was used as
such.
1 Judgement of Solomon
2 Moses, the sole judge of the Israelites
3 The judges appointed by Moses perform their functions
4 David chooses the priests of the Temple, he is appointed "High Priest"
5 God blesses Solomon's Temple
6 Moses and the Israelites build the sanctuary of God
7 David shows Solomon where to build the Temple
8 The prophet Nathan reproaches David for killing Uriah
9 David punishes with death the amalekite soldier who killed King Saul
10 St. Paul
11 St. Peter
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ROOM OF DREAMS
Jacopo Zanguidi called Bertoja, 1569 - 1571
This was Cardinal Alessandro's winter bedroom, conceived in strict relationship to its
counterpart in the summer apartment (Room of Aurora): the design of the vault is
the same and some decorative solutions are identical.
Night and repose are evoked by biblical subjects, in keeping with the Counter
Reformation concept that underpins all the decoration in the winter apartment,
whose iconographic programme was perhaps once again devised by Cardinal Sirleto.
The painted scenes are taken from the Old Testament and feature dreams or events
that happened while the protagonists were asleep, such as the creation of Eve from
the sleeping Adam's rib or Delilah cutting Samson's hair after he had fallen into a
slumber. Premonitory dreams either convey explicit messages, for example Jacob's
Dream, or require the assistance of interpreters, like Joseph or Daniel, to be
understood.
The monochrome frieze around the central oval, the shimmering colours of the pastel tints
and the elegance of the figures in motion, make this room one of Bertoja's masterpieces.
The landscape that forms the background to Jacob's Dream is attributed to the
Flemish artist Cornelis Loots.
Access to the room is via a spiral staircase built into the walls and it also has a
stantiolino, little room, for the privy-chair, which allowed the cardinal some privacy
when he had to relieve himself. The room has an intriguing wooden coffered ceiling in
the form of a maze, which is a replica on a smaller scale of a ceiling in Palazzo
Ducale, Mantua.
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Jacob's dream
Samson and Delilah
Pharoah's dream
Joseph in prison
Nebuchadnezzar's dream
Elijah nourished by the Angel
Nebuchadnezzar's other dream
Joseph's dream
The creation of Eve
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ANTEROOM OF THE ANGELS
Jacopo Zanguidi called Bertoja, Giovanni de' Vecchi
Raffaellino Motta da Reggio, 1572 - 1575
This room is dedicated to the angels, celebrated as instruments of power and divine
justice. In the episodes depicted on the walls and in the large lunettes, the angels either
announce or execute the will of God, who is benevolent towards the just but wrathful
towards the wicked.
The iconographic programme had a propagandistic aspect deriving from the new guidelines
established by the Council of Trent: the fundamental concept of the triumph of good over
evil, which is well rendered in the Banishment of the Rebel Angels in the vault, stresses the
success of the Church of Rome at a doctrinal and spiritual level. This extends the meaning
of the other anteroom dedicated to the deeds of Paul III, where the Church's political and
temporal triumphs are celebrated.
The ceiling and lunettes were decorated by Bertoja, who painted his self-portrait in the
vault (a half-length figure of a demon with long ears, looking out from a cloud). The
painter's untimely death prevented him from continuing with the decoration of the
room, which was completed in 1575 by Giovanni de' Vecchi with the assistance of
Raffaellino da Reggio. The room is also famous for its acoustic effects that were created
with architectural devices to amaze guests.
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1 Daniel in the lions' den
2 Angel of the Seventh Seal
3 Angel purified the lips of Isaiah
4 The Angel stops the mule of Balaam
5 L'Arcangel Michael appairs to shepherd Gargano
6 David erects an altar, placating the wrath of God
7 Angel's announcement to Gideon
8 The Archangel St. Michael
9 The Archangel Raphael with Tobias
10 Massacre of the Assyrian army of Sennacherib
11 The Archangel Michael announces the end of the plague
12 Gabriel with lily and clematis
13 The Angel
Angel with the Heavenly Jerusalem
14 An Angel marks the Elect and stops the Angels of the Apocalypse
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ROOM OF THE WORLD MAP
Giovanni Antonio da Varese called Vanosino
Giovanni de' Vecchi, Raffaellino Motta da Reggio
1573 - 1574
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The state room of the winter apartment is famous for its decorations on an
astronomical and geographical theme. This was a fashionable figurative subject in the
16th century, which reflected the interest aroused by the great navigational exploits of
the period and responded to the need to update the representation of the world
according to the new knowledge gained. The descriptions of the heavens and earth
here have underlying meanings - political, religious, philosophical - which are basically
intended to celebrate the commissioner's power and aspirations.
The decorative programme was developed by Orazio Trigini de' Marij. He was introduced
to the cardinal by his friend Fulvio Orsini, who likely collaborated on the project. Giovanni
Antonio da Varese, called Vanosino, who specialized in cartography and had already
executed the cosmographic, of the third loggia in the Vatican, made the maps.
The vault and lunettes
In the vault a celestial map describes the constellations in universal form through the
mythological figures associated with them. The golden stars are arranged according to the
latest astronomical catalogues. Equally accurate are the lines of orientation in gold equator, ecliptic, tropics, colures - which correspond to the circles of the celestial sphere.
The sky depicted is that of the winter solstice. The map was probably executed by
Giovanni de' Vecchi, even though Vanosino created a similar one in the Vatican for
Gregory XIII. The paintings in the large lunettes that recount the mythological origin of
the twelve signs of the zodiac, arranged on the walls according to the seasons, can be
attributed with certainty to Giovanni de' Vecchi and Raffaellino da Reggio.
On the long sides of the room, the four male figures dressed in the classical style and
holding scrolls, prophets or astronomers, function as the link between the heavens painted
on the ceiling and the earth depicted on the walls.
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ROOM OF THE WORLD MAP
Giovanni Antonio da Varese called Vanosino
Giovanni de' Vecchi, Raffaellino Motta da Reggio
1573 - 1574
Extraordinary maps painted by Vanosino on the basis of information obtained by de'
Marij from both literary and cartographical sources, are spread across the walls.
A depiction of the planisphere stands out on the far wall; it is surrounded by the
heads of putti blowing with puffed cheeks, which is an allusion to the winds, and by
four matrons, the personifications of the four then known continents, located at the
corners.
The long walls display the maps of the continents, while the wall opposite the
planisphere
plan
isphere is devoted to the lands where Christianity and the Church originated,
namely Judea and Italy, which are also accompanied by the relative personifications.
The doors and windows are surmounted by portraits of the most illustrious explorers.
The maps have a scale in miles, painted in gold like the river courses and the
coastlines. Few concessions are made to decoration, in order to preserve the scientific
nature of the images; in fact, there are only ships, whales and one or two fantastical
animals tto
o mark the lesser known borders.
In 1578 a banquet was held in this room for Pope Gregory XIII, who shortly
afterwards commissioned the Gallery of Maps in the Vatican, possibly due to the
fascination exerted by the room at Caprarola.
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America
Planisphere
Personification of
Personification of
Personification of
Personification of
Europe
Africa
Judea
Personification of
Personification of
Italy
Personification of
Personification of
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America
Europe
Africa
Asia
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Jerusalem
Rome
the Church
8 Ferdinand Magellan
9 Marco Polo
10 Christopher Columbus
11 Hernán
Hern n Cort
Cortés
12 Amerigo Vespucci
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