VILLA ALBANI, ROME. 



125 



The Cardinal from his youth showed a wish to revive the love of art in Rome and to turn 

 haek the thoughts of men to the beauties of a classic past. He treated professional buyers and 

 excavators with the greatest esteem, and paid for everything really beautiful that was brought 

 to his notice with regal munificence. In 1757 he met with Winckelmann, and was soon 

 attracted by his critical faculty and artistic knowledge ; the following year he offered him a salary 

 and lodgings in his palace in Rome. He gave him fine rooms with beautiful views. His only 

 duties were to be a companion to the Cardinal and to look after his library. He passed his 

 time going with the Cardinal to examine ruins and to consider the positions to be given to his 

 statues, a '.id soon became so intimate with him that he often went to chat at his bedside. 

 He threw himself so enthusiastically into his patron's favourite pursuit that it seemed as if he 

 built and bought for himself alone. 



Winckelmann in his letters gives us continual accounts of the rise and progress of this 

 splendid collection, and speaks affectionately of the goodness and loyalty of heart of its owner. 



134. VILLA ALBANI : ROMAN RELIEFS. 



" What manner of man is he ? do you ask," he writes to a friend. ' He is a man who to great 

 talents joins the most amiable of characters. He is sixty-three, but does not look forty, and 

 he builds as if he were sure of living for another twenty-five years. His villa surpasses every- 

 thing of modern times, except St. Peter's itself. He has erected the background he needed, 

 and has been himself the sole architect." " This cardinal is the greatest antiquary in the 

 world. He brings to light what has been buried in darkness, and pays for it with a generosity 

 worthy of a king." In February, 1758, he writes : " The palace is adorned with such a quantity of 

 columns of porphyry, granite, and oriental alabaster that before they were put in their appointed 



(1) Principal cntrarce. 



(2) Porch. 



-.wants' quariei's. 



(4) Great <<j en gi'llcry. 



IS) Closed Kidleri.-.- wilh sculptuir. 



(6) Temple poilieo uilli <;>ry;'lid Ii 



(7) Temple with Ionic columns. 



(8) Small room with bronzes. 



(9) Pergola. 



()) Billiard-room. 



(n) Fountains. 



(12) Great stairway to lower level. 



(13) Pond with statue. 



(14) Temple ruins. 

 (See plan 



i page 124.) 



( i -,) Pavilion. 



.10 17) Lower gardens, p;iri enlarged in cornel 

 of plan. 



(18) Kitcl'e, i garden. 



(19) Grand panenv : LJV.ISS and (lowers. 



(20) Terrace at level of main villa- limited area 



well disposed and levels made the mosl ol. 



