Rome's Villa and Garden History Explored in Palazzo Braschi Exhibition
The exhibition titled 'Ville e Giardini di Roma: una corona di delizie' is currently being held at Palazzo Braschi in Rome and will be on display until April 12, 2026. This showcase presents the transformation of Roman villas and gardens through approximately 190 artworks. It opens with Renaissance gardens that emerged after the 1527 Sack of Rome, featuring notable sites like Villa Madama and Villa Farnesina. A key piece is Hendrick III van Cleve's 'Veduta del Belvedere Vaticano' from 1589. The Baroque segment highlights the Pincio and Villa Pamphilj, including Matthias Withoos's 'Veduta di Villa Aldobrandini a Monte Magnanapoli' (circa 1660). The 18th century saw the rise of English gardens, while the 19th century focused on transforming villas into parks, as captured by François-Louis Français. The 20th century further embraced rural themes, showcasing a multimedia gallery and Massimo D'Azeglio's 1822 oil painting 'Il viale della Passeggiata del Pincio da Villa Medici'.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Ville e Giardini di Roma: una corona di delizie' at Palazzo Braschi until April 12, 2026
- Around 190 works including paintings, prints, manuscripts, models, and multimedia installations
- Covers Roman gardens from imperial horti to 20th-century public parks
- Renaissance section features Villa Madama (Raphael, Sangallo, Giulio Romano), Villa Farnesina (Peruzzi, Raphael), Farnese Gardens (Vignola)
- Hendrick III van Cleve's 'Veduta del Belvedere Vaticano' (1589) shows Bramante's garden for Pope Julius II
- Baroque gardens include Pincio and Villa Pamphilj with theatrical water features and sculptures
- Matthias Withoos's painting of Villa Aldobrandini includes a Swiss guard alluding to Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini
- 18th-century English gardens and scientific approach exemplified by Giuseppe Valadier's planimetric tables
- Painting attributed to Antonio Canova shows him presenting 'Ettore e Lica' to Torlonia family
- François-Louis Français documents Villa Borghese damage after 1849 bombardment
- Carlo Montani's 'Colle Oppio' (1936) integrates archaeology with urban landscape
- Georges Paul Leroux's 'Passeggiata al Pincio' (1910) depicts Belle Époque social scene
- Multimedia gallery animates paintings with seasonal changes
- Final section features Massimo D'Azeglio's 1822 painting of Pincio from Villa Medici
Entities
Artists
- Raffaello
- Antonio da Sangallo il Giovane
- Giulio Romano
- Baldassarre Peruzzi
- Vignola
- Hendrick III van Cleve
- Bramante
- Matthias Withoos
- Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini
- Caspar van Wittel
- Giuseppe Valadier
- Antonio Canova
- François-Louis Français
- Carlo Montani
- Georges Paul Leroux
- Massimo D'Azeglio
- Pope Julius II
- Pope Clement VIII
- Torlonia family
- Nicoletta Rita Speltra
Institutions
- Palazzo Braschi
- Villa Madama
- Villa Farnesina
- Orti Farnesiani
- Villa Pamphilj
- Villa Aldobrandini
- Villa Borghese
- Villa Medici
- Appia Antica park
- Artribune
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Palazzo Braschi
- Vatican Belvedere
- Palatine Hill
- Pincio
- Monte Magnanapoli
- Quirinale
- Colle Oppio