Room of the Aldobrandini Wedding

The painting that gives this room its name was once part of a Roman wall. The Aldobrandini Wedding was discovered on the Esquiline Hill in 1601, entered Cardinal Aldobrandini’s collection and was later acquired by Pope Pius VII. It has been in this room since 1838. The scene is usually read as a wedding, with a seated bride and figures taking part in preparations and ritual. The identities of individual mythological figures remain uncertain. You can follow the gestures between them without needing a fixed name for every person. Other ancient paintings in the room widen the subjects. The Via Graziosa landscapes tell episodes from the Odyssey. A fresco from Ostia shows the river boat Isis Geminiana being loaded with produce, including a measuring vessel for grain. Look up as well. Guido Reni’s ceiling stories concern Samson, and gave the room its earlier name. The space became a home for Roman painting long after that ceiling had been made.