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ITALIAN VILLAS AND THEIR GARDENS


[Illustration: VILLA CAMPI, NEAR FLORENCE]


ITALIAN VILLAS AND THEIR GARDENS

by

EDITH WHARTON

Illustrated with Pictures by Maxfield Parrish
and by Photographs







[Illustration]

New York
The Century Co.
1905

Copyright, 1903, 1904, by
THE CENTURY CO.

Published November, 1904

The De Vinne Press





                                   TO

                               VERNON LEE

   WHO, BETTER THAN ANY ONE ELSE, HAS UNDERSTOOD AND INTERPRETED THE
                         GARDEN-MAGIC OF ITALY




                                CONTENTS


                                                     PAGE
               INTRODUCTION                             5


                                   I

               FLORENTINE VILLAS                       19


                                   II

               SIENESE VILLAS                          63


                                  III

               ROMAN VILLAS                            81


                                   IV

               VILLAS NEAR ROME

                               I CAPRAROLA AND LANTE  127
                              II VILLA D’ESTE         139
                             III FRASCATI             148


                                   V

               GENOESE VILLAS                         173


                                   VI

               LOMBARD VILLAS                         197


                                  VII

               VILLAS OF VENETIA                      231




                         LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


                                                                    PAGE

 Villa Campi, near Florence                               _Frontispiece_

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 The Reservoir, Villa Falconieri, Frascati                             4

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 The Cascade, Villa Torlonia, Frascati                                 9

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Fountain of Venus, Villa Petraja, Florence                           18

 From a Photograph.

 Villa Gamberaia at Settignano, near Florence                         20

 Drawn by C. A. Vanderhoof, from a Photograph.

 Boboli Garden, Florence                                              24

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Entrance to Upper Garden, Boboli Garden, Florence                    27

 From a Photograph.

 Cypress Alley, Boboli Garden, Florence                               31

 From a Photograph.

 Ilex-walk, Boboli Garden, Florence                                   36

 From a Photograph.

 Villa Gamberaia, near Florence                                       39

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 View of Amphitheatre, Boboli Garden, Florence                        44

 From a Photograph.

 Villa Corsini, Florence                                              49

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Vicobello, Siena                                                     62

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 La Palazzina (Villa Gori), Siena                                     67

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 The Theatre at La Palazzina, Siena                                   73

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 The Dome of St. Peter’s, from the Vatican Gardens                    80

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Entrance to Forecourt, Villa Borghese, Rome                          87

 From a Photograph.

 Grotto, Villa di Papa Giulio, Rome                                   91

 From a Photograph.

 Temple of Æsculapius, Villa Borghese, Rome                           96

 From a Photograph.

 Villa Medici, Rome                                                  100

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Courtyard Gate of the Villa Pia, Vatican Gardens                    102

 Drawn by E. Denison, from a Photograph.

 Villa Pia—In the Gardens of the Vatican                             105

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Gateway of the Villa Borghese                                       108

 Drawn by E. Denison, from a Photograph.

 Villa Chigi, Rome                                                   111

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Parterres on Terrace, Villa Belrespiro (Pamphily-Doria),            116
   Rome

 From a Photograph.

 View from Lower Garden, Villa Belrespiro                            121
   (Pamphily-Doria), Rome

 From a Photograph.

 Villa d’Este, Tivoli                                                126

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Villa Caprarola                                                     129

 From a retouched Photograph.

 The Casino, Villa Farnese, Caprarola                                133

 From a Photograph.

 Villa Lante, Bagnaia                                                138

 From a Photograph.

 The Pool, Villa d’Este, Tivoli                                      141

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Villa Lante, Bagnaia                                                146

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Cascade and Rotunda, Villa Aldobrandini, Frascati                   149

 From a Photograph.

 Garden of Villa Lancellotti, Frascati                               153

 From a Photograph.

 Casino, Villa Falconieri, Frascati                                  157

 From a Photograph.

 The Entrance, Villa Falconieri, Frascati                            161

 From a Photograph.

 Villa Lancellotti, Frascati                                         165

 From a Photograph.

 Villa Scassi, Genoa                                                 172

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 A Garden-niche, Villa Scassi, Genoa                                 181

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Villa Cicogna, Bisuschio                                            196

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 Villa Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore                                    203

 Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.

 In the Gardens of Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore                        210

 Drawn by