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About This Work
A view of the villa's south-facing facade, characterized by its two stories of Tuscan pilasters and a decorative frieze of putti and garlands below the roofline. The structure is an example of High Renaissance architecture, intended to harmonize with its surrounding gardens in the Trastevere district.
The villa is a critical site for Renaissance astrology and Neoplatonism; the interior Loggia of Galatea contains a celebrated ceiling fresco by Peruzzi that maps the precise planetary positions at the time of Agostino Chigi's birth in 1466, functioning as a monumental natal horoscope.
Connected Texts
Aby Warburg
The art historian provided a foundational analysis of the villa's astrological ceiling, identifying it as a sophisticated expression of Renaissance astral belief systems.
Raphael
The artist who painted the 'Loggia of Cupid and Psyche' within this building, a cycle steeped in Neoplatonic allegory.