FENDI BRINGS BACK THE ITALIAN GODDESS
Written By: Lucy Wildman
Fendi celebrates its centenary with the revival of a forgotten Italian monument
A true fashion fairy tale, Fendi’s enduring romance with the world of art and culture has been a century-long love affair. Beginning in 1925, when Edoardo and Adele Fendi founded the luxury Maison in Rome, Fendi’s commitment to preserving and restoring priceless Italian monuments and the work of the country’s talented artisans has been unwavering. From the restoration of Rome’s legendary Trevi Fountain and the Temples of Venus and Rome, supporting exhibitions of emerging Italian artists, creating educational arts foundations for talented children, to gifting commissioned sculptures to the city it calls home – art is the beating heart of Fendi. And as the historic Maison celebrates its centenary, that devotion to Italian art and culture is showcased beautifully this summer in the completion of its latest restoration project – Villa d’Este’s Grotto of Diana.
Courtesy of Fendi
Courtesy of Fendi
Located near Tivoli’s Palace of Ippolito d’Este, and originally built between 1570 and 1572, the Grotto of Diana has been closed to the public for almost 50 years. Following two years of restoration work, it has returned as a vibrant part of the Villa, reviving a space that tells the story of a place where art and nature merge in perfect harmony. A careful process of research, restoration, and enhancement that began in 2023, the restoration project has been undertaken by the Autonomous Institute of Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este – VILLÆ of Tivoli, with patronage from Fendi.
“The restoration of the Grotto of Diana at Villa d’Este is, for Fendi, an act of love – the latest in a centuries-long journey of protecting and enhancing Italy’s cultural heritage, culminating this year as we celebrate our centennial,” explains Silvia Venturini Fendi, the Maison’s artistic director of accessories and menswear. “Deeply rooted in Rome, where our Maison’s foundations and creative heart have been since 1925, this project represents another investment in the future that begins with memory of the past: a commitment to preserving the beauty and history of our country, passing this precious monument on to future generations.”
Located in the upper part of the garden at Villa d’Este, beneath the Loggia of the Winds, The Grotto of Diana has its main entrance positioned along the Cardinal’s Walk. The cross-shaped space consists of a central area with a cross vault and large caryatids with baskets, a large niche with a rocky backdrop and fountain, and three arms. The first, functioning as an antechamber, has two wall niches and a barrel vault; the second, on the left, displays two bas-reliefs and, at the end, a niche with a rocky backdrop and fountain; the third, on the right with a barrel vault, features two large bas-reliefs on the sides and at the end an opening leading to a loggia that looks out toward Rome.
From this loggia, a double horseshoe staircase leads above the Loggia of the Winds to a small terrace with a wide panoramic view: from Mount Soratte to the mountains surrounding Tivoli, all the way to the Castelli Romani; with The Eternal City as the focal point and center of this rare landscape.
Courtesy of Fendi
Courtesy of Fendi
Courtesy of Fendi
Courtesy of Fendi
Courtesy of Fendi
Courtesy of Fendi
The decorative program of the Grotto features a rich and elaborate scheme, composed of an enormous rustic, multicolored, and multi- material mosaic, made with shells, glass paste, semi-precious stones, stone fragments, and mineral crusts covering the entire surface.
A vast blend of materials enhances the luminous effects, enabling tone variations that give depth and movement to the surfaces, such as in the wave scenes on the ceiling’s marine imagery.
The overall effect is enriched further by two types of flooring. The first, in glazed terracotta, has hexagonal tiles of alternating rows of eagles, apples, and Este lilies, along with smaller tiles showing various images; the second, in the loggia, features square elements in beige and brown terracotta.
The richness of materials reflects the complexity of the decorative cycle. On the vaults, marine scenes featuring Tritons and Nereids – inspired by classical imagery and likely connected to Villa Adriana – while on the walls and ovals, the themes are mostly drawn from Ovid’s poem, Metamorphoses.
Over time, various past interventions have left a significant mark on the nymphaeum, affecting not only its preservation but also our understanding of its original aesthetic. Preliminary diagnostic analyses conducted through sampling and direct surface inspections confirmed the fragile state of conservation. Materials were severely compromised; freestanding sculptures showed missing parts with underlying mortar layers exposed and oxidized metal supports; decorative elements, delicate and vulnerable, were deteriorating rapidly due to environmental conditions; the mosaics and glass tiles exhibited signs of decay; the ceramic flooring, however, despite being worn from decades of foot traffic prior to closure in the 1980s, remained in decent condition.
Courtesy of Fendi
Starting in autumn 2023, the two-year conservation project aimed to recover all the unique features of the grotto, not just preserving the internal decorations, but addressing every aspect of the nymphaeum, including the architectural structures that support the outer façades, which are continuously exposed to weather elements. Beyond conservation, the restoration focused on enhancement, ensuring the grotto could once again be fully enjoyed by visitors.
“This restoration aims to explore and decode the countless layers of meaning at Villa d’Este, highlighting how this place continues to radiate its magnificent beauty while occasionally revealing the sophisticated cultural vision that inspired it,” says Andrea Bruciati, director of the Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este Institute.
“With this effort, we aim to counteract the loss and neglect that often affects our heritage, and the recovery of the Grotto of Diana ensures that this treasure becomes accessible once more to the public,” he says. “The history of art is a cognitive process nourished by these ‘re-emergences’, reshaping both the present and the past for future generations. At its core, an all-encompassing aesthetic experience reveals the value of an artwork – shifting from private enjoyment to public significance, from individual pleasure to a tangible act of generosity, aimed at this sharing of beauty, which has been made possible thanks to the heartfelt support of Fendi.”
Courtesy of Fendi
Courtesy of Fendi
Courtesy of Fendi
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