Those familiar with the Vatican museum will have at once recognized
the colossal statue of gilt bronze which now stands in the circular
hall known as the "Rotonda." It was accidentally found, when I was a
boy, in the courtyard of the Palazzo Righetti in the Campo dei Fiori,
carefully and securely concealed by a well-built vault, evidently
constructed for the purpose, in the foundations of the Theatre of
Pompey. I went to see it, when only a portion of the vault had been
removed, and I shall never forget the vivid impression it made upon
me. So far as I know, there has not been any explanation of its having
been hidden there, but among the lower classes in Rome there are
traditions of great treasure supposed to be buried in other parts of
the city. I have taken the liberty of making the discovery over again
at a point some distance from the Palazzo Righetti, and in the present
time. The statue was really found in 1864, and the gem in the ring was
stolen. The marble Venus which Malipieri saw with it is imaginary, but
I was also taken to see the beautiful statue of Augustus, now in the
Braccio Nuovo of the Vatican, on the spot where it came to light in
the Villa of Livia, in 1863.
The great mediaeval family of Conti became extinct long ago. The
palace to which I have given their name would stand on the site of one
now the property of the Vatican, but would be of a somewhat different
construction.
Pages:
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404