THE ITALIAN GARDEN 



45 



cultivated in the enclosures upon either side of the Casino. The parterre 

 still remains surrounded by gigantic caryatid figures, but most of the other 

 features have been scattered. 



The Villa Pamphili (illus. opposite), is just outside the city walls on the 

 Janiculum hill. The casino was built about 1650 by Olimpia Pamphili for 

 her son Camillo, and 

 as Goncourt says " has 

 the appearance of one 

 of Benvenuto Cellini's 

 chests in burnished 

 silver, with little white 

 statues standing out 

 against the deep blue 

 sky, as sentinels from 

 Olympus, set in the 

 midst of dark indigo 

 trees, and surrounded 

 by grass plots, white 

 in springtime with 

 daisies, and terraces 

 with huge vases of 

 bluish aloes or great 

 camellia bushes." 



There is no lack of 

 documentary evidence 

 to show the princely 

 magnificence of these 

 pleasure houses in and 

 about Rome. Besides 

 the many descriptions 

 given by travellers they 

 have been the subject of numerous engravings. Falda's work / Giardini di 

 Roma is of considerable interest, in spite of the somewhat coarse character" 

 of the engraved plans and bird's-eye views, as it shows records of gardens 

 which have now been entirely swept away or altered beyond recognition. 



FOUNTAIN IN THE COURTYARD OF THE PALAZZO 

 BORGHESE, ROME. 



