VILLA BORGHESE AND THE BORGHESE PALACE, ROME. 



This sumptuous palace is likely to be regarded by the public, who are so freely admitted to its 

 stately salons, as the veritable type of the Roman Palazzo. It is, however, rather late in date. Though 

 built in 1615 from the designs of Giovanni Vasanzio (called II Fiammingo, or the Fleming), both 

 Rainaldi and Fontana were employed upon the original gardens and waterworks. The Palazzo 

 itself was rebuilt in 1782 by Marcantonio Borghese. The internal decorations are partly by 

 Gavin Hamilton, who figures in the later history of the building of Lansdowne House originated 

 by Robert Adam. The great saloon of the Borghese is an imposing room with its frescoes 

 and mosaic floor. The vault is coved up without marked intersections, and the upper lighting 

 is effective. There is a splendid room immediately behind with inlaid marble floor and paintings 

 in the Pompeian style on the walls, while a large subject fresco occupies the centre of the 

 vaulted ceiling. The doors of walnut and gold are effective features. The group of Apollo 

 and Daphne, Bernini's masterpiece in 1616, at the age of eighteen, will always command 

 attention as expressive of tendencies that were afterwards to be so largely developed. ' Dio, 

 what a genius I had at that age ! ' One likes to remember that very human cry of the aged 

 sculptor at the sight of his early work. Pauline Borghese, as Venus Vincitrice, by the agency 

 of Canova, is another piece of sculpture that has a perennial interest for the visitor. 



Externally, the rising forecourt, with the famous balustrading, now only a reproduction, gives 

 some degree of architectural setting to the villa. The fafade is effective, but rather tall ; the 

 statues are somewhat small, and so is the arcaded loggia in relation to the large windows above. 

 Some extension is given to the fa9ade by screen walls. The barrel- vaulted entrance loggia 

 makes a fine feature. The old drawing reproduced (Fig. 89) is full of character : it shows, by 

 comparison with the photograph, the translation due to the rebuilding, and the loss of the local 

 character of the original structure. It is difficult to speak of the park : the very use by 

 the public must of itself destroy any antique charm ; the confluence of crowds demands 

 equivalent treatment. It is a park of unusual character, and there are one or two 

 centres of special interest, but there is not much there to-day for the true lover of Italian 

 gardens. A. T. B. 



89. CASINO OF THE VILLA BORGHESE, ROME. 



