The Sala d'Ercole in the Villa Farnese at Caprarola, Part I

* My research on Caprarola during the two academic years from 1966 to 1968 was made possible by the American Academy Rome Prize Fellowship in Art History and a Grant-in-Aid from Harvard University, and during the academic year 1968 to 1969 by a grant from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, for which I offer my sincerest thanks. The drawing for Figure 13 by Mr. Joe Sidas was financed by a research grant from the University of California for which I also offer thanks.

Abstract

The Sala d'Ercole in the Villa Farnese at Caprarola is the loggia in the front façade on the piano nobile overlooking the town of Caprarola and the countryside of Lazio toward Rome (Fig. 1). It was designed as a belvedere and probably as a place for informal dining.¹ The five arched openings, which are now glazed, were originally open and had deep blue canvas shades to regulate the sunlight.²