The monochrome head of Villa Farnesina
After much wandering around the streets and churches of Rome, this time we move into a gorgeous place. The street name is “Via Lungara 230” in the area of Trastevere, a few euro may enter into the “Villa Farnesina”, now the headquarters of the National Academy of Lincei.
I would be strongly tempted to explain the artistic wonders that are painted in the galleries of the palace, but I would just be a clumsy attempt, and the coarseness of my explanations would probably be accompanied by a transport excessive emotional and uninteresting to the reader. However, between these marvelous times are painted also interesting Roman legends. Here is one.
It’s the early 1500s and Raphael and Michelangelo Buonarroti are considered the two most famous painters in circulation in Rome.
In those years the young pictorial genius of Raphael was entrusted with the decoration of the rooms of the Villa Farnesina, then the residence of the great financier Agostino Chigi.
Is known that Raphael, during the course of the work of his frescoes in the villa was extremely jealous of his work, so as not to allow anyone other than its employees, to gain a vision of the frescoes unfinished. Less than ever to his famous rival Michelangelo!
It must be said that although the two great artists were rivals in the workplace, and publicly manifest their positions different in style and technique, probably they reserved in their hearts a great respect and a strong mutual interest.
Legend has it that Michelangelo was extremely curious to examine how proceeded Raphael’s frescoes. But he was also aware that he would never have gained access to the rooms … at least not legally! It is said that he was able to evade the guards through a ruse: he disguised himself as seller and distracted the guards with the merchandise, and then sneaked into the palace during a break in the work.
When he found himself in front of the semi-frescoed walls, was finally able to see, even for a few moments, the work of the rival. Maybe to pass the time waiting for his pupil Daniele da Volterra, or perhaps “blame” Raphael, in front of a blank bezel still could not resist the temptation: he took a piece of charcoal and drew so without any color and “to Flight, “a beautiful and gigantic head, before sgattagliolare on.
You can imagine the surprise that Raphael had when they go back to work, he found the head in the lunette! Study was a stunningly beautiful face, he knew that only the hand of Michelangelo could have produced a drawing of such skill, and although angry about the intrusion, he was powerless to erase it, in fact, ordered that no one touched him.
Legend or reality? The history of “official” tells us that it is the work of Baldassare Peruzzi, but the famous “head monochrome” is still there, in a bezel of the “room of Galatea”, isolated, mysterious and incredibly out of context and with a style deeply different from everything around her, a style that would say … unique.
