Old Gardens of Italy 8 7 



January lyth, 1398, of the house and land from 

 the Badessa of St. Martino, at Mensola, to Gio- 

 vanni di Benozzi, of the same brotherhood. In the 

 beginning of the fifteenth century a man of Set- 

 tignano, Matteo di Domento (known as Gambe- 

 relli) had five sons. All were sculptors and 

 architects but Giovanni. Bernard and Antonio 

 emerged from the crowd of workers the place then 

 harboured. These two men, better known as the 

 Rossellini, executed many beautiful works at 

 Florence and elsewhere. In 1592 Giovanni, son 

 of Bernardo Gamberelli, bought Gamberaia from 

 Domenico di Jacobo Reccialbani, and so improved 

 the place that from thenceforward it was known as 

 the Palagio of Gamberaia. One cannot but think 

 that the studio must have been constructed at this 

 time for its artistic possessor. 



After passing through the hands of the D'Out- 

 relean family, it was bought by Princess Giovanna 

 Ghika, sister of Queen Natalie of Servia, who, with 

 her friend, an American lady, Miss Blood, now 

 resides there. Under no circumstances is it 

 possible to see the garden while the family is in resi- 

 dence, but when they are absent permission may be 

 applied for from the Princess's agent in Florence. 

 The Settignano electric tram from Florence runs 

 within a few minutes' walk of Gamberaia. 



In some respects the grounds are the most attrac- 

 tive the writer knows. The position of the villa, 

 standing finely on a ridge overlooking the valley, 

 is charming, and the surroundings of the house, 

 though occupying barely three acres of land, are 



