In the historical novel by the Roman writer Melania Mazzucco, the long life and work of the painter and architect Plautilla Bricci (1616-1705) are part of a precise but entertaining narration, which develops against the background of Baroque Rome. As a protagonist of the culture of her time, Plautilla appears alongside figures such as Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Pietro da Cortona and wins the trust of well-known clients. As an architect, she realised a single work, a villa on the Gianicolo, which, like a ship stranded on the hills, became known as the Villa del Vascello.