Peristyle
Designed according to the model of the Roman domus antiqua present in Vitruvius’ De architectura, the Peristyle is the heart of the whole Villa, a meeting point between the upper garden and the lower garden, with the two residential wings arranged symmetrically on each side. Built as an artificial microcosm, it was the hub of humanistic leisure pursuits such as poetry, reading the classics and contemplating nature. The very design of the Peristyle shows a playful clash between the finished and the unfinished, between imitating the classic model and the use of the rustic, a juxtaposition that served to illustrate the artistic acumen of those who conceived the Villa while simultaneously highlighting the infinite force of nature.
In their duality, these different elements enhance each other: examples are the elaborate L-shape of the corner pillars, the reference to Venus via the painted shells and the jeux d’eau of the fountain, and the echoes of Giulio Romano’s use of the rustic via the rough-hewn, irregular pillars. All these elements come together to form the Peristyle of Villa Della Torre, which is not only the hub of the entire Villa construction but also the focal point of its powerful expressive intent.
