Magnificent Italian Villas and PalacesItaly boasts a rich cultural history that has found its expression in beautiful, powerful architectural forms, at times measured and hidden, at times ostentatious and triumphant. This volume focuses on about thirty residential villas and palaces, giving the reader the opportunity to visit the magnificent palaces of Venice, Genoa, and Mantua, the elegant villas designed by Palladio and decorated by Tiepolo; the country villas of Tuscany, hidden in olive groves and vineyards; and the austere palaces of Florence-not to mention the Versaces' villa on Lake Como. The interiors of these palaces are magnificent to behold: splendid tapestries, exquisite paintings and murals, sumptuous furniture and interior decoration of all kinds, from elegant carved molding to magnificently inlaid and tiled floors to beautiful renaissance, baroque, and neoclassical furniture. |
Common terms and phrases
acquired ancient Andrea Antonio architect architectural artist Balbi Barbaro baroque became began Borghese building built Cardinal Carlo ceiling celebrated central century Charles Chigi classical collection Colonna commissioned completed construction continued court courtyard created dates decoration designed Detail dominated duke early eighteenth eighteenth-century elegant entrance facade Facing Ferdinando figures final floor Florence followed four Francesco frescoes gallery garden gilt Giovanni graced Grand hall hangs hill inspired interior Italian Italy known Lake late later leading loggia Lorenzo lovely magnificent marble Maria Medici Milan Naples neoclassical nineteenth noble original paintings Palace Palazzo Paolo Pietro Pisani plans political portrait Prince Renaissance residence restoration Roman Rome rooms Sala scene seventeenth side sixteenth staircase stands statues stucco style superb takes Tiepolo various Venetian Venice Villa walls