Italian villas and their gardens; . abovegardens which descend the steep hillside to the gorgeof the Anio. These gardens have excited so muchadmiration that little thought has been given to thehouse, though it is sufficiently interesting to meritattention. It is said to have been built by Pirro Ligo-rio, and surprising as it seems that this huge featurelesspile should have been designed by the creator of theCasino del Papa, yet one observes that the rooms aredecorated with the same fantastic pebble-work used insuch profusion at the Villa Pia. In extenuation of theugliness of the Villa dEste it
Italian villas and their gardens; . abovegardens which descend the steep hillside to the gorgeof the Anio. These gardens have excited so muchadmiration that little thought has been given to thehouse, though it is sufficiently interesting to meritattention. It is said to have been built by Pirro Ligo-rio, and surprising as it seems that this huge featurelesspile should have been designed by the creator of theCasino del Papa, yet one observes that the rooms aredecorated with the same fantastic pebble-work used insuch profusion at the Villa Pia. In extenuation of theugliness of the Villa dEste it should, moreover, beremembered that its long fagade is incomplete, save forthe splendid central portico; and also that, while theVilla Pia was intended as shelter for a summer after-noon, the great palace at Tivoli was planned to house acardinal and his guests, including, it is said, a suite oftwo hundred and fifty gentlemen of the noblest bloodof Italy. When one pictures such a throng, with their 140 THE POOL, VILLA DESTE, TIVOLl. VILLAS NEAR ROME innumerable retainers, it is easy to understand whythe Villa dEste had to be expanded out of all likenessto an ordinary country house. The plan is ingenious and interesting. From the vil-lage square only a high blank wall is visible. Througha door in this wall one passes into a frescoed corridorwhich leads to a court enclosed in an open arcade, withfountains in rusticated niches. From a corner of thecourt a fine intramural stairway descends to what is, onthe garden side, the piano iiobile of the villa. On thisside, looking over the gardens, is a long enfilade ofrooms, gaily frescoed by the Zuccheri and their school;and behind the rooms runs a vaulted corridor builtagainst the side of the hill, and lighted by bulls-eyes inits roof. This corridor has lost its frescoes, but preservesa line of niches decorated in coloured pebbles and stucco-work, with gaily painted stucco caryatids supporting thearches; and as each niche contains a semi
Size: 1271px × 1967px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksub, booksubjectarchitecture
