Stufetta del cardinal bibbiena

This small room is covered in 'all'antica' wall paintings featuring a Pompeian red background and delicate ornamental patterns known as grotesques. Central panels depict narrative scenes from the myths of Venus, including her birth and her interactions with Cupid and Adonis. A central marble niche with a carved shell hood provides an architectural focal point amidst the surrounding painted mythological cycle.

This work is a primary example of the Renaissance revival of ancient Roman interior decoration following the discovery of the Domus Aurea. The cycle reflects the Neoplatonic interest in the 'Venus Coelestis' (Celestial Venus) and 'Venus Vulgaris' (Terrestrial Venus), themes often discussed by humanist scholars in the papal court like Pietro Bembo.