Customer Reviews

Annibale Carracci, the Farnese Palace, Rome: The Farnese Palace, Rome (Great Fresco Cycles of the Renaissance)

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This book's main advantage is that it has great illustrations from Farnese Gallery -something that is very difficult to find online, due to Palazzo Farnese inaccessibility (since Napoleonic times, it is a French Embassy in Rome, close to the public and with admittance by a special request made well in advance.

One can get a very good idea about the Gallery, and find rare pictures, made by Agostino Carracci and other Annibale Carracci's pupils - Lanfranco, Domenichino, Sisto Badalocchio.

However, the attribution is not always correctly provided; also, the author makes no mentioning of alternative title for Venus and Tritone (which in fact is Glaucus and Scylla).

Also, author's comments are curiously repressed, as he is somewhat shocked by the sensuality of stories he describes. For example, he finds Jupiter and Juno situation "ridiculous" - on the account that it depicts husband and wife full of amorous desire.

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Then, in commentary to Venus and Anchises he finds the inscription GENVS VNDE LATINVM (from here originated Latin people) on their bad "sarcastic"; although it is not clear why lovemaking that led to the birth of Aeneas and subsequent founding of Rome is so "sarcastic". Surely 400 years ago, when teh fresco cycle was done, the attitude towards sensual delights was much more hearty.

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The book does not have illustrations from Camerino Farnese, also painted by Annibale Carracci.

I recommend it mainly for the quality of the pictures, many of which have separately taken details.