THE VILLA ALDOBRANDINL 



163 



the top of the house, and the view from this point explains the lofty and narrow centre feature 

 of the back front, which forms so characteristic a part of the outline of the villa. Seen between 

 masses of trees, as the terminal of a vista, this tall, elegant bay with its Venetian loggia justifies itself. 

 Behind is the boundless plain of the Campagna, against which it is silhouetted like a campanilli. 

 The rush and murmur of the water as it speeds on its way down the slopes add to the singular 

 charm of the spot. It explains the name of Belvedere often given to the villa. Built as the 

 last work of Giacomo della Porta between 1598 and 1603, it was completed by Domenichino of 

 Bologna. Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, nephew of Clement VIII, was the magnificent owner. 

 He had added the Duchy of Ferrara to the Papal States, and the resources at his command must 

 indeed have been great to enable him to undertake so immense a pleasure house. The waterworks 

 were contrived by Giovanni Fontana and D'Orazio Olivieri, the greatest experts of the age. The 

 interior of the house is not shown, but the chapel, comprised in the hemicycle, is interesting. 



169. VILLA ALDOBRANDINI, FRASCATI : SOUTH-WEST ASCENT. 



.The frescoes, perished by the damp, have been replaced by copies on canvas after the originals. 

 There is a fine St. Sebastian under the lunette over the altar. St. Teresa and St. Francois de 

 Salis, the latter of whom is visiting the prisons, occupy the sides of the chancel recess. 



In judging the architecture of this somewhat pompous hemicycle it is necessary to eliminate 

 the rather crude colouring, the yellows, blues, etc., of its distemper washes. The crude mosaics 

 and somewhat theatrical sculpture are also unfavourable elements (Figs. 172 and 174). The fact is 

 that the visitor cannot but recall earlier instances where the same thing has been done with the 

 happier results due to the employment of better architectural detail. The old trees, regularly 



i i Main entrance. (9) 



(2) Parterres. (10) 



Fountain opposite entrance. (n) 



i l) Sloping way to first terrace. (12) 



(5) Terrace in form of a circus. (13) 



(6) Quincunx of trees (14) 



(7) Fountains at base of terrace wall. (15) 



(16) 



(8) Cold rooms and grottoes under terrace. 



Parterres with flowers. 

 Terrace at level of ground floor of Villa. 

 Vestibule. 

 Living-rooms. 



Terrace at level of first floor of Villa. 

 Quincunx. 



Grass lawns with jet fountain. 

 C'.rand stairways to gardens. 

 (.Sec plan on page 162.) 



(17) Apsidal terrace with niches and foun- 



tains. 



(18) Cold rooms under terrace. 



(19) Water clvinnel between cascades. 



(20) Fountain which feeds waters of 



cascade. 



(21) Woods which rise in amphitheatre to 



top of mountain. 



