JCU Visits the Casino Boncompagni Ludovisi Private Collection

Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi and the JCU group during the guided tour (photos by JCU student Anna Prosvetova)

On Friday, January 25, a group of JCU professors and students enjoyed a visit to the splendid Casino Boncompagni Ludovisi, located next to the Villa Borghese gardens.

Organized by art history professor Anna Tuck-Scala, it was an amazing opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the palazzo’s masterpieces in a private tour led by Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi. The highlights of the tour were two ceiling Baroque paintings: “Aurora” by Guercino and “Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto” by Caravaggio.

Thanks to the efforts of the Principessa and her husband, Nicolò Boncompagni Ludovisi, the palazzo has recently been restored, and today it is possible to view the beautiful frescoes and decorations in their original splendor.

The Principessa also showed the group the archive of historical documents and private letters, including personal correspondence between the Spanish royal family and Marie Antoinette, which was found during the restoration process.