1 1 o Old Gardens of Italy 



VILLA ALBANI, ROME. 



JUST outside the Porta Salaria. Erected in 1746 

 for Cardinal Albani, from his own designs, assisted 

 by the architect. Carlo Marchionne. Sold in 1834 

 to the Count of Castlebarco, and in 1868 to Prince 

 Torlonia, whose family now owns it. The garden 

 was laid out by Antonio Nolli. Neither the casino, 

 with its collection of statuary, nor the grounds are 

 shown except by means of a private introduction. 



The large parterre, with the terrace overlooking 

 it, the central fountain, grottos, and niches with 

 statues, as well as the ilex bosco, all show the old 

 classic design. 



VILLA MEDICI, ROME. 



Now the French Academy. Open to the public on 

 Wednesdays and Saturdays after 9 a.m. Built by 

 Annibale Lippi in the middle of the sixteenth cen- 

 tury for Cardinal Ricci, and purchased soon after- 

 wards by the Medici family. Cardinal Ferdinand 

 Medici adorned the garden elevation with beautiful 

 bas-reliefs and sculptures. Velasquez, while 

 residing here in 1630, painted two charming little 

 pictures of the garden and house which are now in 

 the Madrid gallery. In Sala III. of the Picture 

 Gallefy of the Naples Museum is a painting of 

 this garden by Sebastiano Vranckx, of Antwerp, 

 dated 1615. It shows a large equestrian statue 

 and a few other embellishments no longer there, 



