Marina De Franceschini
VILLA ADRIANA. ACCADEMIA. HADRIAN'S SECRET GARDEN I.
History of Excavations, Ancient Sources and Antiquarian Studies from the XVth to the XVIIth Centuries, 2016
Villa Adriana or Hadrian's Villa near Tivoli (Rome) is the largest and most famous Roman Imperial villa and needs no introduction. But the Accademia does, because is in a private property, in the southern part of the Villa, not open to visitors, and it is very little known and studied.
This is why the author decided to study it, using for the first time digital technology and laser scanner to draw a new updated plan and discover its features. After the survey, the starting point was reading previous antiquarian sources and studies, collecting ancient maps and drawings, to see what had been done and studied before. It turned out to be an extraordinary journey among the greatest artists of all times, who visited and studied the Accademia and the rest of the Villa.
This is how and why this book was born: to tell the story of the building and of its works of art, and to talk about the outstanding artists, antiquarians and architects who studied there and were inspired by its imposing ruins. Rediscovering this place is also important to understand the nature of the structure that some scholars believed to have been a villa within the Villa, that is to say the residence of Hadrian's wife, Vibia Sabina.
There is no evidence about this, hence the importance of knowing more about a site for which it is still possible to answer questions about its real nature and connotation, although it is badly kept.
The author's choice to write this work in English is a very effective action in order to expand knowledge and open to the whole world the analysis of a monument like no other, which since several decades has a place of excellence within the Unesco World Heritage Sites.
http://www.libraweb.net/result1.php?chiave=3130&valore=sku
INDEX:
Tables of Contents: Anna Maria Reggiani, Introduction. Bernard Frischer, Introduction. Urbano Barberini, Presentation. Author's Note. Acknowledgements.
Chapter 1. The Renaissance and Roman antiquity.
Chapter 2. Hadrian's Villa in the XVth century: rediscovery after oblivion.
Chapter 3. Francesco di Giorgio Martini. The oldest drawings of the Accademia.
Chapter 4. Hadrian's Villa in the XVIth century. Large-scale excavations and early studies.
Chapter 5. Bindo Altoviti, one of the first owners of the Accademia.
Chapter 6. Andrea Palladio. Looking for perfect proportions.
Chapter 7. Pirro Ligorio, great antiquarian and first scholar.
Chapter 8. Ippolito II d'Este, Cardinal of Ferrara. The magnificentia in Tivoli.
Chapter 9. The Accademia in the XVIth-century drawings. A stucco ceiling and a mosaic.
Chapter 10. Hadrian's Villa in the XVIIth century. A new general plan and many small excavations.
Chapter 11. The Bulgarini in the XVIIth century. The first excavations at the Accademia.
Chapter 12. Francesco Barberini, Governor of Tivoli and patron of the arts.
Chapter 13. Francesco Contini. The first complete plan and rational description of the Villa.
Chapter 14. Cassiano dal Pozzo. The Museo Cartaceo (Paper Museum): the first virtual museum.
Chapter 15. Athanasius Kircher. Special effects, wisdom and wonders.
Chapter 16. Some remarks and conclusions on the first three centuries of studies of Hadrian's Villa.
Bibliography.
Indices: General Index; Index of names; Index of sculptures, relief and marbles.
Index of folding Plans: 1. 1. General plan of Hadrian's Villa by Michael Ytterberg; 1. 2. Plan of the Accademia (De Franceschini, Pavanello, Andreatta 2010); 1. 3. General plan by Francesco Contini (1668); 1. 4. Plan of the Accademia and surrounding area (De Franceschini, Pavanello, Andreatta 2010)