Electricians were discovered in the 17th century. Mural behind the trap door of the villa

An electrician performing maintenance work on Rome’s 16th-century Villa Farnesina discovered brightly colored frescoes hidden behind a later vaulted ceiling. Electrician Davide Renzoni discovered a trap door in a barrel vault that was added to the villa’s living room in the 19th century on top of tall scaffolding. The door leads to a cavity between the new ceiling and the original ceiling. Rezzoni shines brightly in the darkness, and is greeted by a vast array of cherubs in the blue sky and rolling hills.

Built between 1506 and 1510 for the papal banker Agostino Chigi, Farnesina was an innovative suburban villa with a U-shaped floor plan on the banks of the Tiber River. , with open verandah. Today it is famous for its exquisite frescoes with mythological themes by Renaissance luminaries Raphael and Sebastiano del Piombo, Giulio Romano, Bradasa Created by other greats like Ray Peruzzi and Il Sodom. Cardinal Alessandro Farnese acquired the villa in 1579 and the newly discovered frescoes date from Farnese’s time.

This is evident in the newly discovered murals. Three surviving areas exist: a moon-shaped area with a large standing cherub holding a feathered helmet in front of rolling hills with a tower and manor in the middle, and two cherubs in the center of corbels and barrels, Dome with blue background, sky filled with cherubs flying around the coat of arms of Farnese. They were commissioned by Abbot Giuseppe Melchiorri, who rented the villa from the Duke of Parma Farnese. His lease prohibited him from making any unauthorized changes to the building, but his inventory records show that he did order paintings for at least one gallery.

Between 1861 and 1863, Villa Farnesina underwent major restoration work, especially on the first floor, where the building was completely transformed from the 16th-century structure designed by Baldassarre Peruzzi for Agostino Chigi. Architect Antonio Sarti discovered severe structural damage due to loads on the walls above the vaults and proposed reinforcement works. The main hall was divided into two parts, twisting the original space and adding new service rooms, including the elevator shaft.

The discovery of these frescoes, which survived the insertion of the elevator, constitutes a significant novelty in the understanding of the building and its decorative phase of the 17th century, as part of the conservation and restoration activities carried out by the National Academy. Lincei collaborates with the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.

rightEnzoni discovered the murals last year, but the discovery has been kept secret while they are restored and studied by conservators and researchers. Because the frescoes are located in an inaccessible area, they cannot be displayed to the visiting public, but the villa has found a way to showcase them virtually in a new exhibition about the 17th-century Villa Farnesina. High-resolution photos and 3D reconstructions will showcase the murals and show what the living room looked like at different times.