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The three paintings were hidden above the vaulted ceiling of what was once the living room of Agostino Chigi, a wealthy banker and Renaissance patron who had the villa built at the start of the 16th century.
Electrician Davide Renzoni stumbled upon them by chance a year ago, after climbing through a trapdoor into the long-forgotten space during maintenance work on the villa, which sits on the western bank of river Tiber.
Section of a frescoed ceiling discovered last year by an electrician during works at Villa Farnesina in Rome. Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP
“I went to get a lamp and when I turned it on, everything appeared: it was a marvel,” he told AFP on a visit this week.
Several cherubs hold up a green festoon, while another brandishes a golden helmet.
The frescoes, painted by a little-known artist, include the coat of arms of the noble Farnese family.
Cardinal Alessandro Farnese bought the villa in 1579 with the idea of connecting it to the Farnese Palace, located on the other side of the Tiber, though the plan fell through.
View of a frescoed ceiling discovered last year by an electrician during works at Villa Farnesina in Rome.
Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP
The villa, bought by the state in 1927, underwent major restoration work and the frescoes fell into oblivion, curator Virginia Lapenta told AFP.
Their rediscovery last year inspired an exhibition on 17th-century art inside the villa, which has long been renowned for its frescoes by Renaissance master Raphael.
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Though they are not accessible to the public for security reasons, visitors can see the newly found frescoes through pictures and videos included in the exhibition, which runs until January 12th.
The displays also allow the villa to monitor the frescoes’ conservation, Lapenta said.