Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

The Cucurbit Images (1515–1518) of the Villa Farnesina, Rome

2005; Oxford University Press; Volume: 97; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/aob/mcj025

1095-8290

Jules Janick, Harry S. Paris,

Advances in Cucurbitaceae Research

• Background The gorgeous frescoes organized by the master Renaissance painter Raphael Sanzio (1483–1520) and illustrating the heavenly adventures of Cupid and Psyche were painted between 1515 and 1518 to decorate the Roman villa (now known as the Villa Farnesina) of the wealthy Sienese banker Agostino Chigi (1466–1520). Surrounding these paintings are festoons of fruits, vegetables and flowers painted by Giovanni Martini da Udine (1487–1564), which include over 170 species of plants. A deconstruction and collation of the cucurbit images in the festoons makes it possible to evaluate the genetic diversity of cucurbits in Renaissance Italy 500 years ago.