family heirlooms of prominent families in Rome.

Alessandro
purchased several worthwhile collections, confiscated collection from families
that upset him, and received yet more collections as donations from families
seeking his favour. Other works were bought in the antiques market, including
works that were appearing as part of excavations and construction throughout
the city. Michelangelo had designed internal niches to display statuary in the
massive Palazzo Farnese ( 1546 ) in Rome.

The
Farnese collection was further enlarged by the Pope's nephew, another Cardinal
Alessandro, by the purchase of collections. It also included the inheritance
left in 1587 by Margaret of Parma, the widow first of Alessandro de Medici and
then of Ottavio Farnese. She also possessed a collection of famous engraved
gems, which formerly belonged to Lorenzo dei Medici, including the Farnese Cup.

The
Farnese family, who had become Dukes of Parma declinedtill the death of
Antonio Farnese of Parma, and thus the collection passed through Elisabetta
Farnese, wife of Philip V of Spain, to their son Charles of Bourbon, who became
king of Naples and the Two Sicilies in 1734. He in turn decided to move the
Parmesan collections to Naples. His son Ferdinand IV of Naples brought the
Roman collections to Naples. This occurred in 1787, despite the strong
opposition of the Papacy.

Artemis of Ephesus - the "great mother goddess"

The
Secret Cabinet (Gabbinete) or Secret Room is the name of the Bourbon Monarchy
gave the private rooms in which they held their fairly extensive collection of
erotic or sexual items, mostly deriving from excavations of Pompeii and
Herculaneum. Access was limited to only persons of mature age and known morals.
After the revolution of 1848, the government of the