Villa Medici historical timeline

A cardinal's antiquities collection that became, two centuries later, the place France sends its artists.

Chronology

1. 16th century — building begins under Nanni Lippi, who dies before completion; his son Annibale Lippi continues, and Bartolomeo Ammannati finishes the villa for Cardinal Ferdinando de' Medici. Michelangelo's involvement is traditional lore and undocumented. Structural impact: three hands on one building, which is why the garden front and the street front do not match. What you see today: a villa that is severe towards the city and encrusted towards its own garden.
2. 1576 — Cardinal Ferdinando de' Medici purchases the property. Structural impact: the villa acquires a patron who is collecting antiquities at scale. What you see today: the reliefs in the facade, which are his.
3. Under Ferdinando — Ammannati incorporates Roman bas-reliefs and statues into the design as they come to light with almost every spadeful of earth, making the facades a virtual open-air museum. Structural impact: ancient sculpture becomes structural decoration rather than collection. What you see today: the garden elevation, which is the reason to come.
4. 1583 — the Niobe Group and the Wrestlers are discovered and bought immediately; the Arrotino arrives in the same period. Structural impact: none to the fabric. What you see today: casts rather than originals — the collection itself left for Florence.
5. 1803 — Napoleon moves the Académie de France à Rome to Villa Medici, preserving an institution the Revolution had threatened. Structural impact: the villa becomes a working academy with studios and residents. What you see today: the reason the visit is guided — people live and work here.

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