Via Margutta
Encyclopedia
Via Margutta is a narrow street in the centre of Rome
, near Piazza del Popolo
, accessible from Via del Babbuino in the ancientCampo Marzio
neighborhood also known as "the foreigner's quarter". Mount Pincio
is nearby. Via Margutta originally was home to modest craftsmen, workshops and stables, but now hosts many art galleries and fashionable restaurants.
After the film Roman Holiday' became popular, Via Margutta developed into an exclusive neighborhood, where various famous people lived, such as film director Federico Fellini
. From the north the area can be reached from Via Cassia
or Flaminia
, passing then throughPiazzale Flaminio
, and through the city door in the wall that leads to Piazza del Popolo
. From this point one walks several metres to the left of Flamino Obelisk
towards Via del Babuino, and on the left there is an alley that leads to Via Margutta.
From Piazza di Spagna, one can take via del Babbuino, turn right on via Albert, and via Margutta will be on the left.
for a dirty stream that came down from the hill of the villa of the Pincii
, used like a natural Roman Cloaca
. Via Margutta was behind the palaces of Via del Babuino (Babboon road), where warehouses and stables were found.
At the base of Pincio hill, there were homes and shops of masons, marble cutters, and coachmen, who conducted their business in the areas. In the Middle Ages an unknown artist opened the first workshop where the finest Roman craftsmen painted portraits, cut marble for fountains and forged metal plates, giving birth to a flourishing industry that attracted foreign artists (including Flemish
and German
), as well as Italians from other regions. These immigrants gradually replaced the shacks and stables with houses, workshops and gardens.
During the reign of Pope Pius IX, (1846-1878), a Belgian monsignor, Saverio de Merode, seeing the potential of the area, purchased land, built drains, and incorporated the narrow street into the public city plan.
Via Margutta today is a charming, quiet lane. Although it is fully in the city centre, it still maintains its garden atmosphere, perfumed by trees and vineyards, which has made it a perfect choice for artists, painters, sculptors, and antiquarians, even though many of former artists' studios have been converted into flats and apartments.
warmly celebrated by citizens. The expo is sponsored by the Mayor and the Province of Rome (Lazio), and for many years has been a burgeoning field for the discovery of new artists.
The celebration makes Via Margutta a true public art gallery
, presenting more than 1,000 works of art, including oil paintings, drawings, and watercolors in every expressive style. Some of the works on exhibit are of unknown or less-famous artists, chosen by a multi-national jury of art critics.
Admission is free, the exposition is open to everybody, the viewing of the works is casual and an easygoing attitude is the norm.
,
Federico Fellini
, Renato Guttuso
, Marina Punturieri.
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, near Piazza del Popolo
Piazza del Popolo
Piazza del Popolo is a large urban square in Rome. The name in modern Italian literally means "People's Square", but historically it derives from the poplars after which the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, in the northeast corner of the piazza, takes its name.The piazza lies inside the northern...
, accessible from Via del Babbuino in the ancientCampo Marzio
Campo Marzio
Campo Marzio, is the IV rione of Rome, which covers a smaller section of the area of the ancient Campus Martius. The logo of today's rione is a silver crescent on a blue background.-External links:*...
neighborhood also known as "the foreigner's quarter". Mount Pincio
Pincian Hill
The Pincian Hill is a hill in the northeast quadrant of the historical center of Rome. The hill lies to the north of the Quirinal, overlooking the Campus Martius...
is nearby. Via Margutta originally was home to modest craftsmen, workshops and stables, but now hosts many art galleries and fashionable restaurants.
After the film Roman Holiday' became popular, Via Margutta developed into an exclusive neighborhood, where various famous people lived, such as film director Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , was an Italian film director and scriptwriter. Known for a distinct style that blends fantasy and baroque images, he is considered one of the most influential and widely revered filmmakers of the 20th century...
. From the north the area can be reached from Via Cassia
Via Cassia
The Via Cassia was an important Roman road striking out of the Via Flaminia near the Milvian Bridge in the immediate vicinity of Rome and, passing not far from Veii traversed Etruria...
or Flaminia
Via Flaminia
The Via Flaminia was an ancient Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to Ariminum on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had for travel between Etruria, Latium and Campania and the Po Valley...
, passing then throughPiazzale Flaminio
Piazzale Flaminio
Piazzale Flaminio is a square in Rome just outside the Aurelian Walls, and the starting point of the Via Flaminia. The Porta del Popolo on its south side connects it to the Piazza del Popolo.The Flaminio-Piazza del Popolo metro station is located here....
, and through the city door in the wall that leads to Piazza del Popolo
Piazza del Popolo
Piazza del Popolo is a large urban square in Rome. The name in modern Italian literally means "People's Square", but historically it derives from the poplars after which the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, in the northeast corner of the piazza, takes its name.The piazza lies inside the northern...
. From this point one walks several metres to the left of Flamino Obelisk
Obelisks in Rome
The city of Rome harbours the most obelisks in the world. There are eight ancient Egyptian and five ancient Roman obelisks in Rome, together with a number of more modern obelisks; there was also formerly an ancient Ethiopian obelisk in Rome....
towards Via del Babuino, and on the left there is an alley that leads to Via Margutta.
From Piazza di Spagna, one can take via del Babbuino, turn right on via Albert, and via Margutta will be on the left.
Etymology and history
The name probably originates from the word "Marisgutia", meaning "Sea Drop", a gentle euphemismEuphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
for a dirty stream that came down from the hill of the villa of the Pincii
Pincian Hill
The Pincian Hill is a hill in the northeast quadrant of the historical center of Rome. The hill lies to the north of the Quirinal, overlooking the Campus Martius...
, used like a natural Roman Cloaca
Cloaca Maxima
The Cloaca Maxima is one of the world's earliest sewage systems. Constructed in Ancient Rome in order to drain local marshes and remove the waste of one of the world's most populous cities, it carried an effluent to the River Tiber, which ran beside the city....
. Via Margutta was behind the palaces of Via del Babuino (Babboon road), where warehouses and stables were found.
At the base of Pincio hill, there were homes and shops of masons, marble cutters, and coachmen, who conducted their business in the areas. In the Middle Ages an unknown artist opened the first workshop where the finest Roman craftsmen painted portraits, cut marble for fountains and forged metal plates, giving birth to a flourishing industry that attracted foreign artists (including Flemish
Flemish
Flemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, an informal, though linguistically incorrect, name of any kind of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium....
and German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
), as well as Italians from other regions. These immigrants gradually replaced the shacks and stables with houses, workshops and gardens.
During the reign of Pope Pius IX, (1846-1878), a Belgian monsignor, Saverio de Merode, seeing the potential of the area, purchased land, built drains, and incorporated the narrow street into the public city plan.
Via Margutta today is a charming, quiet lane. Although it is fully in the city centre, it still maintains its garden atmosphere, perfumed by trees and vineyards, which has made it a perfect choice for artists, painters, sculptors, and antiquarians, even though many of former artists' studios have been converted into flats and apartments.
Yearly exposition of "100 Painters of Via Margutta"
"One hundred painters of Via Margutta", is a traditional arts festivalArts festival
An arts festival is a festival that focuses on the visual arts in all its forms, but which may also focus on or include other arts.Arts festivals in the visual arts are exhibitions and are not to be confused with the commercial art fair. Artists participate in the most important of such festival...
warmly celebrated by citizens. The expo is sponsored by the Mayor and the Province of Rome (Lazio), and for many years has been a burgeoning field for the discovery of new artists.
The celebration makes Via Margutta a true public art gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
, presenting more than 1,000 works of art, including oil paintings, drawings, and watercolors in every expressive style. Some of the works on exhibit are of unknown or less-famous artists, chosen by a multi-national jury of art critics.
Admission is free, the exposition is open to everybody, the viewing of the works is casual and an easygoing attitude is the norm.
Famous residents
Among the historical inhabitants of the street were Giulietta MasinaGiulietta Masina
Giulietta Masina was an Italian film and stage actress. She starred in La Strada and Nights of Cabiria, both winners of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, in 1956 and 1957, respectively...
,
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , was an Italian film director and scriptwriter. Known for a distinct style that blends fantasy and baroque images, he is considered one of the most influential and widely revered filmmakers of the 20th century...
, Renato Guttuso
Renato Guttuso
Renato Guttuso was an Italian painter.His best-known paintings include Flight from Etna , Crucifixion and La Vucciria . Guttuso also designed for the theatre and did illustrations for books...
, Marina Punturieri.
Fountain of the Arts
In the same area can be found the "Fontana delle Arti", which has a triangular base, crowned by a bucket of paint-brushes (symbolizing the presence of artists in the area dating from the 17th century). According to the project architect, Pietro Lombardi, who also designed other small "fontanelle" throughout Rome (usually inspired by the coats of arms of the ancient roman quarter (rione), the marble fountain was carved in 1927. Two masks are on opposite sides, mounted over marble supports. The images are of the now familiar sad and happy faces, symbolizing the fluctuating moods typical of artists. The two carved faces pour their weak water streams into two small bathtubs.Books and film on the life to Via Margutta
- Roman Holiday, 1953. Film by William WylerWilliam WylerWilliam Wyler was a leading American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter.Notable works included Ben-Hur , The Best Years of Our Lives , and Mrs. Miniver , all of which won Wyler Academy Awards for Best Director, and also won Best Picture...
with Audrey HepburnAudrey HepburnAudrey Hepburn was a British actress and humanitarian. Although modest about her acting ability, Hepburn remains one of the world's most famous actresses of all time, remembered as a film and fashion icon of the twentieth century...
and Gregory PeckGregory PeckEldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
. - My first forty years, 1987. Film by Carlo VanzinaCarlo VanzinaCarlo Vanzina is an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. He was born March 13, 1951.In 2001 he directed the romantic comedy film South Kensington starring Rupert Everett and Elle Macpherson. Two of his films, Eccezzziunale.....
with Carol AltCarol AltCarol Ann Alt is an American model and actress.- Early life:Alt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, the daughter of Muriel, an airline employee and model, and Anthony Alt, a fire chief. She was noticed waiting tables in her hometown of East Williston, New York. When she was 18, she decided to...
and Elliot Gould. - Quelle Belle Ragazze di Via Margutta. (the directors, painters and writers who made the Rome of the 1950s the center of the World ), 2004. Book by Giampiero Mughini