Imagine a world of beauty, wonder, sumptuous banquets, and intellectual salons. In the 1500s, the rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman marvels—along with a renewed interest in classical texts and the
reemergence of ruins from the countryside—transformed how people understood and represented the universe. This surge of renewal brought together fragmented ideas from previous centuries, finally shaping a new understanding of humanity.
Rome naturally became the cradle of this Renaissance spirit. The new papal court shone brighter than all others, attracting the era’s finest artists, who recognized that true glory could only be achieved in Rome.
Among them was Raffaello Sanzio—better known as Raphael—who arrived in Rome to serve the Pope, leaving an indelible mark on the art and culture of the time. This rebirth is magnificently celebrated in Villa Farnesina, the home of the influential banker Agostino Chigi—a close confidant of the Pope and a personal friend of Raphael.