Italian Villas and Their Gardens

by Edith Wharton

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), Rome	[116]
From a Photograph.
View from Lower Garden, Villa Belrespiro (Pamphily-Doria), Rome	[121]
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 Maxfield Parrish.
Villa Cicogna, from the Terrace above the House	[216]
From a Photograph.
Villa Pliniana, Lake Como	[221]
Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.
Iron Gates of the Villa Alario (now Visconti di Saliceto)	[224]
Drawn by E. Denison, from a Photograph.
Railing of the Villa Alario	[225]
Drawn by Malcolm Fraser, from a Photograph.
Gateway of the Botanic Garden, Padua	[230]
Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.
View at Val San Zibio, near Battaglia	[235]
Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.
Plan of the Botanic Garden, Padua	[239]
Drawn by E. Denison, from Sketch by the Author.
Val San Zibio, near Battaglia	[241]
Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.
Gateway, Villa Pisani, Strà	[244]
Drawn by E. Denison, from a Photograph.
Villa Valmarana, Vicenza	[247]
Drawn by Maxfield Parrish.