About

This presentation will focus on the various symbols taken from the pantheon of Roman gods and goddesses that Henrietta Howard chose to employ within the decorative scheme of her villa. Many of these deities represented episodes in the eventful life of Henrietta herself. From the carved owls of Minerva in the panels of The Great Room to the peacocks of Juno in two console tables; from the shells of Venus above the mahogany staircase to the marble mask of Apollo, Henrietta surrounded herself with symbols which exemplified to her friends and guests her erudition, social status and taste.