Lazio Region, after buying Villa Silvestri Rivaldi for €25 million in 2024, has begun a $40 million restoration that has revealed 300‑year‑old frescoes hidden by nuns for centuries.
Paola Mezzadri, a lead conservator, said the work started after the villa changed hands, noting that earlier tests in 2002‑2006 confirmed the presence of “substantial artwork” beneath the plaster.
The villa, built between 1534 and 1547 for chamberlain Eurialo Silvestri, once hosted Medici, Colonna, and even Pope Leo XI before becoming a convent in 1660.
Using laser‑scanning and water‑based cleaning, teams have peeled back layers to expose mythological panels—goddesses in vibrant oranges, soldiers with lances, and portraits of emperors such as Hadrian and Titus—in the Hall of Divinities and Hall of Emperors.
Art historians link at least some of the work to Prospero Fontana and Perino del Vaga, with drawings in the British Library supporting the connection.
The next phase will focus on stabilizing the aging structure and preparing the villa for public tours slated for 2027, after which the site will receive official protection as a cultural heritage landmark.