A group of mysterious benefactors
from the Far East have restored to its previous splendor a part
of the 16th-century Villa Giulia that formerly attracted the
likes of Giorgio Vasari, Michelangelo and other intellectuals of
the period.
The "small miracle" was carried out at the Renaissance
villa ordered built by Pope Julius III that now houses the Museo
Nazionale Etrusco. The most important artists of the time took
part in its design and construction between 1550 and 1555.
For the past few weeks, visitors have been surprised by the
restored nymphaeum, the heart of the splendid gardens with a
fountain designed and sculpted by Vasari and Bartolomeo
Ammannati, caryatids holding up the Travertine marble balcony
and a mosaic dedicated to Triton.
"Everything began in 2014," ANSA was told by Alfonsina
Russo, superintendent for archaeology, architecture and
landscape of the metropolitan area of Rome, Viterbo and southern
Etruria, which until a ministry reform a few months ago was
headquartered in Villa Giulia.
"I had long been seeking help for the nymphaeum," she said.
"Not only had it turned grey and was plagued by moss and mold,
but initial structural problems had also arisen, especially with
the mosaic."
Then, following an evening, a concert with a Japanese
delegation and a visit to Villa Giulia, a surprise offer arose
to fund the restoration.
Some 25,000 euros were given on the condition that the
group of Japanese entrepreneurs remain anonymous.
Work commenced in September 2015 under the Kavalik
consortium.
"The most difficult battle," said restorer Antonio Giglio,
who worked alongside Alessandro Ferradini and Kristian
Schneider, "was against the vegetation. On one hand, we had to
eliminate the algae with powerful biocides so that they would
not grow back, while on the other hand, we wanted to save the
plants in the niches."
The Triton mosaic was later focused on, a small masterpiece
from the Roman era that had " probably been part of a larger
floor of - possibly a thermal building", which due to the
yielding of its structural support had begun to lose its
millennia-old black and white tiles.
"We had been used to seeing the nymphaeum entirely of one
color, since the floor had become black," Russo said. "But one
elderly employee spoke about it having had colors and some of
the ancient drawings rose doubts."
After several cleanings, a wide range of colors emerged
that brought out the white of the eight caryatids, which Giglio
noted "are not all the same. We used to see them as very serious
but the four in the second row are clearly laughing".
Russo said that art historians may know the reason, but
perhaps "they symbolize the dualism between tragedy and comedy
in classical art."
The nymphaeum was originally created as a sort of "theater
of water" for actors and musicians.
Russo added that the funders had not even wanted to be
thanked in an official inauguration.
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