Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, Rome

All projectsEtruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, Rome

The light of culture

Italy

Thriving in central Italy from the 8th to the 3rd century BCE, the Etruscan civilization was renowned for its refined culture, abundant mineral resources, and its status as a major trading power in the Mediterranean. However, much of its traditions and history were either erased or absorbed into that of its conqueror, Rome. Nevertheless, surviving Etruscan tombs, their contents and wall paintings, as well as the Roman adoption of some Etruscan clothing, religious practices, and architectural features, provide compelling evidence of the great prosperity and significant contribution to Mediterranean culture achieved by Italy's first major civilization.

Located in Rome, the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia houses the most significant and valuable collection of Etruscan objects in Italy. Found in archaeological sites of Southern Etruria, located between the river Tiber and the Tyrrhenian Sea, these archeological discoveries are displayed in the museum along with highly sophisticated Greek artworks imported to Etruria between the 8th and 4th century BCE. Among the numerous finds of Etruscan culture, the museum boasts the Sarcophagus of the Spouses from Cerveteri and many other priceless relics datable between the 6th and 4th century BCE. Founded in 1889, ETRU museum is now part of the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities. Its mission is to enhance the value of the Etruscan cultural heritage by organizing exhibitions and conferences and promoting scientific research.

Initially designated as a private residence, in the course of history Palazzo Chigi has changed its purpose several times according to its different owners’ needs. For the first few centuries, it was mainly home to important families of Papal Rome. Towards the end of the 18th century, it was mostly used as the Spanish embassy’s headquarters in Rome. In 1878 it was the official residence of the Ambassador of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, becoming headquarters of the Minister of Colonial Affairs during World War One in 1916. After its final renovation promoted by the Italian State in 1922, it has housed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for almost 40 years. Since 1961 it is the official seat of the Italian Prime Minister and of the Council of Ministers.

Palazzo Chigi, with its central and prestigious location in the heart of classical Rome, overlooks via del Corso and Piazza Colonna, taking its name from the two-thousand-year-old column of Marcus Aurelius which stands right in its centre. The clean design of the five-story structure typical of the Renaissance period features a grand staircase and an internal courtyard embellished by Giacomo della Porta’s fountain. The heritage of the Chigi family is still visible in the opulence of the applied, decorative, and fine arts collections displayed in the rooms of the palace. The precious pieces of furniture, paintings, and sculptures are a symbol of the political influence of the rich Chigi family at the time they owned the palace. The building is nowadays opened to visits, but only certain rooms and sections of it are actually accessible to the public.

Year

2023

Project

Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia

Location

Rome, Italy

Client

Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, Rome

Lighting design

Enel X Architectural Lighting Team

Pictures

Luca Cioci

The museum's building, Villa Giulia, is a remarkable example of a Renaissance suburban residence that perfectly complements the artistic and historical value of the Etruscan finds it houses. Commissioned by Pope Julius III and erected between 1551 and 1555, the villa was designed by some of the most renowned architects of that period, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola – in alleged cooperation with Michelangelo and Giorgio Vasari - and Bartolomeo Ammannati. The decorations, on the other hand, were entrusted to the Bolognese Prospero Fontana and his team, including the young Taddeo Zuccari. The two-story building features a magnificent front entrance with two fluted Doric columns and two side niches which form the basis of the upper level. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a large atrium which leads into a semicircular portico supported by eight granite Ionic columns, completely frescoed with grotesques and pergolas of jasmine, roses and vines. The portico features a large arch which gives access to the stunning central garden characterized by the splendid loggia by Ammannati, leading to the heart of the Villa, the Nymphaeum, a complex architectural space spread over three levels. ENEL X - an ENEL Group

Conceived by ENEL X Architectural Lighting Team - an ENEL Group company that provides innovative products and services focused on energy transition - the lighting design was meant to deliver coloured and white light flood light effects with a perfectly smooth transition and uniform distribution to all the walls overlooking the villa’s courtyard. Inscribed into an oval perimeter, the villa’s geometry presents recurrent semicircular shaped elements in its gardens, general structure, and decorative features. The most important of these features, the main hemicycle, has been enhanced with the help of an array of Capital 100 in RGBW colour configuration fitted with elliptical optics. Owing to a perfect positioning and aiming, the chosen floodlights allow an even, harmonious distribution of both coloured and white light on the surface of the villa’s central body creating a deep visual and emotional impact.

The same architectural analogy is repeated in the Nymphaeum, where everything combines to create charm and mystery, such as the four caryatids that support the balcony and the beautiful Roman mosaic floor with Triton, also featuring a semicircular shape. The upper levels of the Nymphaeum walls have been enhanced by units of Capital 100 RGBW which deliver a magical atmosphere to this enchanted place. The lower stage is illuminated by Micro-Clip MC in RGBW color configuration, installed around the mosaic, which complete the wall wash distribution. The overlapping effects produced by the silhouettes of arches and porches of the loggia and Nympheum create a pleasant alternation of hues and shapes with different depth and intensity, enhancing the artistic and historical value of the villa in a superb way. To complete the lighting scheme, some units of Capital 100 RGBW, installed on three sides of the square garden located beyond the Nymphaeum, deliver a new character to the historical fountain in red porphyry decorating its center.

All of the fixtures are controlled via a wireless DMX system using DMX receivers and repeaters. Installed in strategical points of the villa’s outdoor areas, they allow a seamless management of the whole lighting installation without the need of a dedicated cable line.

Credits:
Client: ETRUSCAN MUSEUM OF VILLA GIULIA, ROME
Lighting design: Enel X Architectural Lighting Team
Pictures: Luca Cioci

Products installed;
20x CAPITAL 100 RGBW ELLIPTICAL OPTICS
2x CAPITAL 100 RGBW ELLIPTICAL WIDE OPTICS
2x CAPITAL 100 RGBW WIDE OPTICS
6x MINI WATERLED MK3 RGBW NARROW OPTICS
2x MINI WATERLED MK3 RGBW MEDIUM OPTICS
2x JUPITER RGBW ELLIPTICAL OPTICS
2x JUPITER RGBW SPOT OPTICS
3x MICRO CLIP MC WIDE OPTICS
9x MICRO CLIP MC MEDIUM OPTICS
1x WALL TSC 7x WIRELESS DMX RECEIVER
1x INFRARED REMOTE CONTROL
2x IP65 2WAY DMX SPLITTER
2x IP65 WIRELESS DMX REPEATER