Villa Medici in Rome: the first photos of the vast interior redevelopment project

It is a villa whose name resonates.

The Villa Medici, French Academy in Rome, pearl of the Eternal City sits as a cultural showcase in France on Mount Pincio.

Appointed at the beginning of the pandemic at the head of this Renaissance-style palace surrounded by umbrella pines, Sam Stourdzé, its new director from the Rencontres d'Arles, is launching a vast refurnishing and interior redevelopment project "Re-enchanting the Villa Medici".

With the ambition to breathe new life into this elegant stone vessel, reconciling, as before, use and artistic value – we live there among the works.

A challenge for an establishment which, in addition to its residents, welcomes the public.

For the first part of this promising program, Sam Stourdzé associated Fendi with the renewal of the six ceremonial salons, which host official dinners,

Private tour of Villa Medici

In images, in pictures

See the slideshow09 photos

See the slideshow09 photos

The beautiful story

The atmosphere takes on that of a house, accentuated by the shades of muted monochrome tones that respond to the softness of the materials.

A natural elegance that blends into the surprising sobriety of the place.

In the years 1960-1970, the painter Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, known as Balthus, at the head of the Villa for fifteen years (1961-1977), had launched a first major

there by painting his famous patinas on the walls, polishing them sometimes at the bottom of a bottle, installing its majestically sober floor lamps in the rooms, and hunting down vernacular or even rustic furniture to furnish everything.

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In the 2000s, the designer and scenographer Richard Peduzzi, director of the institution between 2002 and 2008, intervened in turn by creating furniture and lighting, such as his geometric lights suspended from the ceiling or his concrete iron lamps.

In 2020, the furniture, which has become somewhat "disparate", calls for a metamorphosis, while the Balthusian patinas are restored.

Sam Stourdzé, conductor of this revival in the form of a past-present dialogue, then devised a project in three stages, rolled out over several years.

The Villa is an embassy of French culture and, above all, a place of contemporary creation

Sam Stourdzé, director of the Villa Medici

The first act now offers a successful mix of contemporary pieces by Fendi Casa, historical furniture from the collections of the Mobilier national or the collections of the Académie de France in Rome, all under the leadership of Pierre-Antoine Gatier, chief architect. historical monuments, present at all stages of the project.

“This redevelopment, specifies the director of the Villa, is like telling a story of the place.

To show that there are successive contemporary interventions in his DNA, which had become historic – those of Balthus are now classified, but in his time, when he intervenes, it's a real revolution –, and with which I wanted that we continue by revalorizing these earlier stratifications – those of Balthus, of Peduzzi, and even of 1833,

when Horace Vernet creates the neo-Moorish decorations of the Turkish bedroom.

At the time, an orientalist room was a shock... The Villa is an embassy of French culture and, above all, a place of contemporary creation.”

At the heart of creation

The choice of Fendi also expands the territories.

“It is not only one of the last great Roman fashion houses, but also a company committed to heritage, which has restored the Trevi Fountain, the Temple of Venus, the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana – which has become the company's headquarters –, and it is part of the French group LVMH, explains Sam Stourdzé.

And then, above all, I wanted their artistic directors, because with Kim Jones (couture and ready-to-wear women) and Silvia Venturini Fendi (accessories and men), we have the synthesis of what we want to put forward: very strong local roots – Silvia has been the embodiment of Rome for three generations, while being a creator without borders.

And with Kim Jones, we are at the heart of European creation;

he shakes up the codes with mad talent.

He is the heir of an Alexander McQueen.

He is a creator more than a fashion designer.

When he came here, his eye immediately perceived the interest of the historical dialogue, and the result resembles neither a Fendi Casa showroom, nor a Roman palace, sublime, but decorated with hangings and gilding.

Here, Balthus paved the way for us and purified all the walls, which play wonderfully well with the light.

Perspectives between rooms are revealed.

We begin to look at places as we no longer looked at them.

And for the first time, we begin to have, in addition to the exterior and the view, a very particular look at the interior.

When he came here, his eye immediately perceived the interest of the historical dialogue, and the result resembles neither a Fendi Casa showroom, nor a Roman palace, sublime, but decorated with hangings and gilding.

Here, Balthus paved the way for us and purified all the walls, which play wonderfully well with the light.

Perspectives between rooms are revealed.

We begin to look at places as we no longer looked at them.

And for the first time, we begin to have, in addition to the exterior and the view, a very particular look at the interior.

When he came here, his eye immediately perceived the interest of the historical dialogue, and the result resembles neither a Fendi Casa showroom, nor a Roman palace, sublime, but decorated with hangings and gilding.

Here, Balthus paved the way for us and purified all the walls, which play wonderfully well with the light.

Perspectives between rooms are revealed.

We begin to look at places as we no longer looked at them.

And for the first time, we begin to have, in addition to the exterior and the view, a very particular look at the interior.

who play wonderfully well with the light.

Perspectives between rooms are revealed.

We begin to look at places as we no longer looked at them.

And for the first time, we begin to have, in addition to the exterior and the view, a very particular look at the interior.

who play wonderfully well with the light.

Perspectives between rooms are revealed.

We begin to look at places as we no longer looked at them.

And for the first time, we begin to have, in addition to the exterior and the view, a very particular look at the interior.

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Sneak peek of the redecorated course.

There follow one another, from the Petit to the Grand Salon, passing by that of the Residents, Fendi Casa furniture – sofa, sofa, armchairs –, three carpets designed by the duo Kim and Silvia, with gradations inspired by the colors of the walls, the rooms antiques from the Villa's collection, such as a decorated harpsichord purchased by Balthus, a few original creations such as a table by French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, whose travertine tops recall the flagstones of the Via Appia, and a series of tapestries from collections from the Mobilier national, some of which are contemporary and signed by Sheila Hicks, Louise Bourgeois or Eduardo Chillida.

A reorganization in several chapters

Those installed in the Grand Salon – double height and 150 m2 –, which regularly hosts concerts, conceal 60 m2 of acoustic panels designed by Devialet – the aesthetics of the base reminiscent of Medici red, chosen by the chief architect –, pledge revolutionary sound system for the room.

“Fendi financed everything, resumes Sam Stourdzé.

It wasn't so much his money that interested us – it could have come from elsewhere – but their artistic directors, for their perspective and their expertise.

I need to have the best around the table – here, Fendi, Mobilier national, and, on a smaller scale, Devialet.”

In April, the second part of this redevelopment will unveil that of the five historic rooms by a renowned designer architect – we are talking about India Mahdavi.

And, within a year,

the beginning of the redesign of the first of the nine so-called “bridge” rooms, the result of a sponsorship with the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, where architect designer and craftsmen will work together.

Two or three years of progressive openings are planned, including a new piece reviewed with Fendi.

Like a renewed burst of radiance.