The Deti Antechamber

The ‘Anticamera Deti’ [‘Deti Antechamber’] leads to the office of the President of the Council of Ministers and is situated on the first floor of Palazzo Chigi, next to the ‘Science Room’, offering an interesting view over Piazza Colonna.

The decorative strip underneath the ceiling, frescoed by Flaminio Allegrini, features a series of squares illustrating episodes from the life of Pope Clement VIII, interspersed with landscape scenes. A crescent moon appears in the corners of the frames, which was the emblem of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Deti. Olimpia Aldobrandini entrusted this Cardinal with the entire property in 1626, appointing him to complete, and also bear the cost of, the remaining architectural work on the palace, together with the decorations of the antechamber and its adjoining rooms.

This room has a fireplace which is adorned with a large, 18th century mirror, made from gilded wood and carved with harpies, sphinxes and dolphins.

In the centre stands a table dating back to 1670, featuring an antique yellow marble top supported by a cherub at each corner. The large Murano chandelier hanging from the ceiling is made from gilded metal and Bohemian crystal and counts 48 lights.

An 18th century Roman-style console table stands against the wall between the two windows, above which hangs ‘Landscape with cattle’, an oil painting by Andreas Schelfhout which dates back to the first half of the 19th century. A tapestry by Jan Leyniers hangs on the opposite wall, and two 17th century landscapes produced by the Roman School can be found on either side of the fireplace.