Remains of Villa of Maecenas

Remains of the Villa of Maecenas at Tivoli (Avanzi della Villa di Mecenate a Tivoli), “Views of Rome,” c. 1763, Etching on wove paper, Sheet/Page 55.5 × 78.4 cm (21 7/8 × 30 7/8 in.), Gift from the Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Bequest of Frank B. Bristow), GW Collection (BAG.FIC.2020.3)

By Cristian Abarca

Giovanni Battista Piranesi led an impressive career at the forefront of documenting Roman architecture through engravings. One of forty-four etchings collectively known as the Views of Rome series, Piranesi’s Remains of the Villa of Maecenas at Tivoli (cat. #9) depicts a crucial monument in the intersectionality of Roman society.

The Roman villa, a structure embodying Roman extravagance, symbolized the power and influence of its fortunate owners and was a favorite artistic subject of Piranesi’s. He depicted views of Horace, Hadrian, and Maecenas’ villas (cat #10), each a testament to the grandeur of Roman design. However, Piranesi misidentified his subject in his depictions of the Villa of Maecenas. While commonly accepted as the Villa, the structure depicted was only correctly identified as the Sanctuary of Hercules Victor in 1849. Instead, Roman aristocrat Gaius Maecenas’ villa, often called the Gardens of Maecenas, is about twenty-five kilometers from Rome on the city's outskirts.

Piranesi’s etching showcases the Sanctuary’s north façade and extended terrace overlooking the Via Merulana Valley, a side of the Sanctuary’s rectangular complex. Inside the archways lies a grand corridor with magnificent countryside views. Built in 212 BCE – shortly following the Second Punic War (218-201 BCE) – with the intent of supporting the growing trade networks around Rome, the Sanctuary served as a trading outpost and break-of-bulk point located thirty kilometers east of the city’s walls. Due to Tivoli’s close association with the Cult of Hercules, the Sanctuary was named to honor Hercules as a warrior god or Hercules Victor. As trade flows grew, so did the Sanctuary’s political and religious influence. Following the height of its influence under the rule of Hadrian in the second century CE, raids on Rome eventually damaged the structure and the trade routes that depended on it.

Perched atop Esquiline Hill in Tivoli, the Sanctuary was a site to be envied. It boasted numerous terraces with panoramic views of Rome and the surrounding countryside. Made up of a theater, temples, and a large courtyard, the grand Sanctuary stood five stories tall, as best exhibited in Piranesi's valley view. To best analyze Piranesi’s incredible capture of this monumental architectural accomplishment, the viewer must trust his words. In the engraving’s lower-left corner lies an embedded inscription, hinting at the intentions behind the artist’s portrayal. He identifies the travertine blocks used in the Sanctuary’s construction, reminds the viewer of the sole capital left intact, and accentuates the “remnants of plaster painted with lead” that once adorned the Sanctuary. However, he does concede that it has suffered significant deterioration, its vibrant, leaded colors having faded centuries ago.

The essence of the Sanctuary’s permanence lies in its foundations. In the engraving, Piranesi accentuates the substantial blocks of volcanic rock (excavated from Tivoli’s large travertine quarries) that formed the Sanctuary’s building site. Furthermore, Piranesi's mastery of chiaroscuro manifests in his depiction of these immovable foundations and his portrayal of the fragile decorative masonry adorning each archway. His production of various textures through meticulous hatching, cross-hatching, and stippling techniques in this art piece showcases exceptional contrast skills. He flawlessly executes the differentiation between the rough weather on the stone and the delicate foliage surrounding it. The viewer can only imagine how Piranesi carefully rendered each stone with his burin into the copperplate, similar to how Roman stonemasons carved each travertine block over a millennium prior.

Across the Sanctuary's crown, the overgrowth characterizes its decrepit status far beyond its decaying façade. The refuse around similar ruins was so dense that Piranesi was known to carry a hatchet to cut it away. Nonetheless, Piranesi masterfully harnesses it to display the grand scale on which Roman design operated. As Piranesi depicts the structure’s arches continuing into the distance, the viewer must remember that each arch bears that magnificent stature. However, the human figures are the most significant contribution to Piranesi’s narrative and the building’s scale. The most notable of these stands at the bottom of the scene, gazing towards a grand archway. This voyager stands in loose clothes and a broad hat while holding a walking stick. The viewer might imagine the traveler representing either Piranesi or the viewer themselves. Also worth consideration are the smaller buildings to the far right of the scene, which served as auxiliaries to the sanctuary. However, in Piranesi’s work, they serve a greater significance, balancing the scene against the awe-inspiring complex perched on the ridge.

From the figures in front of the Sanctuary’s ruins to those positioned by the smaller buildings, they can easily be identified as contemporary to Piranesi rather than historical, indicating the same about the scene. Together, they accentuate the Sanctuary's age and how it came from another time. Its permanence in the engraving is indisputable; it has outlived its creators and generations since. One might also interpret this artistic rendering as representative of the inevitability of time, regardless of the past’s permanence.

Fortunately, the physical sanctuary has continued to retain its permanence throughout the years. From its cavernous rooms and expansive hallways to its grand terraces, the majority of the complex still exists today. However, Piranesi’s depictions represent a unique accomplishment in extending the Sanctuary’s permanence beyond its life in stone into one on paper.

Inscription in Italian

A. Capitello il solo rimasto intero B. Avanzi d’intonico dipinto a minio

English Translation by Andrew Gibson:

A. The only capital that remains intact B. Remains of plaster painted with minium

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