The Altemps Collection

The Altemps Collection, acquired in the 16th century by Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps to decorate his elegant Roman mansion and enriched by his nephew Giovanni Angelo, was made up of a hundred or so works, only 16 of which are currently still in the palazzo. Many others, sold from the 18th century onwards, are now in the world’s great museums, from the Louvre in Paris to the British Museum in London, the Vatican Museums and the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. The courtyard displays four major sculptures from the collection: a young Hercules, an athlete at rest, a maenad and a Demeter, all Roman-era copies of the Greek originals. Two herms and a sarcophagus decorate the fountain, while other sculptures adorn the monumental staircase.