Leaf 165 - Giardino dell Illustrissimo Signore Ciriaco Mattei Posto nel Monte Celio

Lauro, Giacomo

Andrea Fei, Roma, 1625

1625

Rome (Italy) -- Antiquities.

Architecture, Roman -- Italy -- Rome.

Rome (Italy) -- Maps, Pictorial.

Gardens of the Villa Mattei.  

Gardens of the Villa Mattei on Monte Celio. This image shows the gardens and grounds of Villa Mattei, now known as the Villa Celimontana. There is a numbered key of important features of the garden on the bottom of the page and the map is signed by Lauro, dated 1616. The grounds cover most of the valley between the Aventine Hill and the Caelian. The gardens were famous for their artwork and fountains. One item featured was an obelisk, brought to Rome from Heliopolis to decorate a Temple to Isis. The hieroglyphics refer to Pharoah Ramses II. Bernini was responsible for the fountains.

The Mattei opened the villa to pilgrims who returned from their visit to the Sette Chiese which was a pilgrimage to the seven major Churches in Rome. The pilgrims received a ticket on completing the pilgrimage which would entitle them to participate in a festival where bread, wine, cheese, apples, and other foods were available for picnics in the villa’s gardens. In the 18th century the villa was abandoned, the archeological collections were sold to pope Clement XIII and the fountains were moved to different locations.

The verso of this leaf is blank.

Leaf 165 Recto

Scholars wishing to cite this item should include item title with leaf number, Splendore dell'antica Roma, Jen Library Archives and Special Collections, the Savannah College of Art and Design, and the item's url.

Splendore dell'antica Roma, by Giacomo Lauro, in Roma: Nell Stamperia di Andrea Fei, l'anno del Giubileo MDCXXV [1625]

Image

Print

Page 28.5 x 21 cm.

Image 23.5 x 17.75 cm.

Engraving on paper

Rometour: Villa Celimontana (Previously Villa Mattei): Park, Garden, Festival, Geographic Society

Rome in the Footsteps of an XVIIIth Century Traveller: Casino di Villa Mattei sul Monte Celio

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