Grand'era gia' la colonna del Vaio (Pigli), Sacchetti, Giuochi, Fifanti e Barucci e Gally e quei ch'arrossan per lo staio
Paradise, Canto XVI
Written references to the noble Tuscan family of the
Sacchetti can be traced back already to the 10-11th Century,
possibly descending from the Gens Cornelia of the Roman Republic. As attested by Dante’s quotation in his
Divine Comedy, the family was already established in Florence in the 12th
Century. During Florence’s internal battles between the Guelfs (the supporters
of the Papacy) and the Ghibellines (the supporters of the Emperor), most
members of the family sided with the Guelf party. While in Florence, the Sacchetti family participated
in the Battle of Montaperti, against the Ghibellines of Siena. Even though the Sienese win
caused the Sacchetti at first to be exiled, they later returned to Florence and the family continued to hold there the
highest offices of the Republic. At this point the family divided
into two branches: one that remained in Florence until the Sixteenth Century, when they relocated to Rome when the Republic collapsed and the Principate of the
Medici was established, and the Neapolitan branch, that went into the service of
the Normans.
The current Roman family descends from Matteo Sacchetti and
his wife Cassandra Ricasoli-Rucellai. Since then, within the family tree we
find connections with some of the most prominent names such as
Colonna-Barberini, Montefeltro della Rovere,… and titles, such as Marquis,
Princes, Commissary General of the Papal troops, and the Cardinal Giulio Cesare Sacchetti (1586-1663), twice unsuccessfully nominated for election as Pope! ...until Giulio Sacchetti, the
last Chief Quartermaster of the Vatican, who married Giovannella Emo
Capodilista, who was the kind Marchesa who hosted my concert at Palazzo
Sacchetti.
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| Marchesa Sacchetti |
The Sacchetti were among the most important patrons of the Baroque Era, promoting and commissioning masterpieces by Pietro da Cortona, Andrea Sacchi, Nicolas Poussin, Simon Vouet, Guercino and Guido Reni. Their collection was sold in the Eigthteenth Century to the Pope Benedict XIV, becoming one of the foundations of the Capitoline Museum in Rome.
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| This is the Sala where I performed! |
...and among frescos by Pietro da Cortona and le Storie di David of Salviati there was me! The whole night really felt like being in a movie and, as I discovered afterwards, Paolo Sorrentino indeed filmed La Grande Bellezza exatrly in here, in the very room where I performed! I found a beautiful article with many pictures that five an idea of the Palazzo and its many beauties here:
http://www.adayinrome.com/2014/05/15/con-italian-ways-a-palazzo-sacchetti/
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| This is where part of the reception took place... |
