Villa Albani - Brief History
In 1746 Cardinal Alessandro
Albani acquired a vineyard between the Via Nomentana and the Via Salaria, with the
intention of providing a suitable setting for his collection of ancient
sculpture.
From 1758 he was assisted in this collection by his librarian, the
antiquary and Neo-classical theorist Johann Joachim Winckelmann.
Carlo Marchionni, who had previously worked for the Cardinal at Anzio
and Castelgandolfo, was commissioned to design the main palace, which was constructed between
1755 and 1762.
Villa Albani -
Architecture
The massive central block in nine bays consists of an open ground
floor loggia of compressed Serlianas flanked by banded Ionic pilasters. Above, the piano nobile
is articulated by plain Corinthian pilasters flanking windows with rusticated surrounds
surmounted by combined segmental and triangular pediments.
The loggia is continued at reduced height and stepped back to create
single-storey lateral galleries. In the architecture of the palace only the horizontality and
lack of central emphasis of the main block foreshadow the values and interests of
Neo-classicism.
These are strongly evident, however, in the interiors, decorated and
painted by Anton Raphael Mengs, and the neo-Antique garden buildings, including a ruined temple
designed by Marchionni under the influence of Winckelmann. These were intended to
provide appropriate allegorical environments for ancient sculpture, such as the celebrated
Antinous relief (AD 130–38).
Villa Albani Map&Location
Villa Albani Address: Via Salaria, 92, 00198 Roma, Italy. Get help with
directions using the map provided bellow:
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