Since my arrival in Rome I have wanted to visit the Farnese Palace in central Rome near the Campo di Fiori. However given that this building is the Chancery of the Embassy of France, it is not so easily done. A few weeks ago my friend Lionel C. suggested that we visit the Palace with Professor Yannick Nexon of the Inventer Rome group. This group organize tours of sites in Rome for French speaking resident and visitors of Rome. Their staff are University professors and archaeologists, many with years of experience doing research, writing, teaching and lecturing on Art and Culture in Rome and in Italy and when appropriate how it all relates to France.
The Farnese Palace has a very long history with France and its diplomats in Rome. It all goes back to the time when the Palace was actually built by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese later known as Pope Paul III. When one thinks of the Farnese, you are also thinking of the Farnese Hercules and the Farnese Bull and other art treasures, most are now in the National Museum in Naples. Needless to say that I was very excited with the prospect of visiting this Palace with its association to the history of Rome but also of the relations between the Papal States and France in the context of European politics over several centuries.
Yannick Nexon gave a very good presentation, he first explained that he would not speak on the architecture of the Palace, its art collection or the history behind its construction. He instead concentrated on what it was like to live at the Farnese Palace in the 17th century in Rome and what Rome was like then as a City State. Under Papal authority Rome at the time of the Renaissance was a nasty little police dictatorship, teeming with papal spies ready to pounce on anyone who deviated from the strict moral code of the Papacy, it made Iran today under the mullahs look positively liberal. Rome as a city of men, governed by several Cardinals who reported directly to the Pope. Women were not seen in public and in fact it was a lucky women who could claim that she had been allowed to leave the house 6 times a year to attend mass. Everything was about power and politics covered by a veneer of religion. The Papal prisons were notoriously evil places, anyone unfortunate to become the prisoner of the Pope was sure to die in jail, there was no parole or forgiveness. As they saying went, God would forgive you but not the Pope.
Nexon then went on to explain that the Farnese Palace is one of the largest palaces in Rome, it was not just a palace but a Papal residence, this is why all the State rooms which occupy all of the first floor are double the normal size of such rooms and go all around this enormous building. Construction first started in 1515, the palace was designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, commissioned by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who had been appointed as a cardinal in 1493 at age 25 (thanks to his sister, who was Pope Alexander VI Borgia's official mistress) and was living a princely lifestyle.
When, in January 1534, Cardinal Alessandro became Pope Paul III, the size of the palace was increased significantly and he employed Michelangelo who completed the redesigned third story with its deep cornice and revised the courtyard as well. The post-1534 developments were not only a reflection of Alessandro's change in status but employed architecture to express the power of the Farnese family, much as at their Villa Farnese at Caprarola. The massive palace block and its facade dominate the Piazza Farnese.
During the 16th century, two large granite basins from the Baths of Caracalla were adapted as fountains in the Piazza Farnese, the "urban" face of the palace.
The palazzo was further modified for the papal nephew Ranuccio Farnese by Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. It was finally completed by Giacomo della Porta.
Following the death of Cardinal Odoardo Farnese in 1626, the palazzo stood empty. No Pope ever lived in it and this is how Cardinal Alphonse de Richelieu, the older brother of the famous Cardinal de Richelieu became interested in finding lodgings for himself as the new French ambassador to Rome.
Since that period and until 1685 French Ambassadors lived in the Palace, at one point 2 French Ambassadors lived with their entourage of about 150 persons each in the Palace. In those days, ambassadors were sent to a foreign Capital with one brief and so you could have many ambassadors at one time all working on very different briefs for their Sovereign, France had 3 ambassadors at one period in time.
After Odoardo's death, Pope Alexander VII allowed Queen Christina of Sweden, who had converted from Lutheranism to become a Roman Catholic, to lodge in the palace for 7 months, but she "proved a tenant from hell". After her departure for Paris, the papal authorities discovered that her servants not only had stolen the silver, tapestries, but also had "smashed up doors for firewood".
At this point the French Ambassadors return to live in the Palace and will pay for all the repairs and up-keep as part of the lease. Nexon then went on to explain some of the politics of the time. Per example the Pope had 2 dangerous enemies the Turks (Muslims) and the Protestants in Northern Europe. The King of France had also 2 enemies, the Spanish Royal House and the Hapsburg in southern Germany and Austria. On the other hand France was friendly with the Turks and ready to support the Protestant against other Catholic monarchs like the Hapsburg.
Try explaining that to the Pope, yes France is a Catholic country but you see your enemies are helpful to us.
The French diplomatic staff in the entourage of the Ambassador were seen as libertines by the authorities in Rome, given to challenge Papal authority, but since they were covered by diplomatic immunity, not much could be done about their parties, drinking bouts and free thinking. Not that the Pope and his Cardinals were any more upstanding morally speaking, but appearances were important.
Nexon also went into details about the lease and rent payments for the Palace and things the French Ambassadors brought with them on their assignment or how much would be spent on a party and how. An ambassador would bring with him 150 barrels of good French wine duty free of course. They would also bring with them musicians and artists to entertain. This would lead to confrontation on musical evenings, Italian music at the time was considered the top in terms of style and fashion but French music which was different in composition and style was nonetheless trying to make in-roads amongst the powerful rulers and the elite. He explained how as part of the job, Ambassadors had to give sumptuous parties often involving fireworks, parades and concerts. With the use of surviving contracts and bills of sale, we were able to see expenses. Candles at the time were expensive and since all had to be illuminated by candle light this was a major cost of receptions and parties, sometimes up to 800 people of distinction would be invited and you had to light up not just the inside of the building but also the entire Piazza Farnese and side streets with thousands of candles. You also had to give something the general population who would receive goblets of cheap local wine spewing from the two fountains in the Piazza Farnese.
During the visit of the Palace we heard 2 very good musicians perform pieces of the time as we progressed from one State Room to the other. Many of the songs they performed were satirical and composed to make a political points against the brother of the king of France or their cousin Orleans. There was also Italian music on love. So we were able to compare and appreciate both style.
I was wondering how can anyone work in this building today, we went through offices which are decorated with great frescoes and beautiful fine furniture, silverware and fine porcelain, statuary and great Cristal chandeliers. The Ambassadors office is a a very large room with ceiling 8 meters high, truly magnificent, I though I would have a problem concentrating on work, the frescoed walls are witnesses to history.
Nexon gave us also much detail on life including riots in Rome against the French Ambassador and his wife organized by the guards of the Pope and his Cardinals in trying to force a change in French diplomatic policy, it did not work, King Louis XIV would have none of it and would resort to sending his army to occupy a Papal territory like Avignon and jailing a few bishops.
All in all a fascinating visit, rich in details of the life at the time at the Farnese Palace. Today the French Government has a lease on the Palace and pay a rent of 1 euro per month to the Italian government, however they are responsible for the up-keep which is considerable.
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