HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION 



23 



houses and doorway leading to an avenue of cypresses. In rinturicchio's picture of ' Susanna and 

 the Elders' the garden is shown surrounded by a low red wall, and a hedge of roses trained upon 

 a lattice of gilded reeds; a roebuck, stag, rabbits, and other animals are running loose in the 

 garden — a liberty not, however, allowed to a monkey chained to a stake. The hath into which 

 Susanna is about to enter is represented in the form of a magnificent fountain, with octagonal 



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■ti« Mi thrill 01 ^H«i| poavti. 

 ■u>r«iii tcoriari &fc*»i.To 





Zfrcif fa gcj Bc^^c/n. yr'o/n ValifJuli Hypneroli^iuc^mx 



basin raised on two steps. In another of his frescoes is a little garden enclosed by a balustrade, 

 with flower beds fonnall}^ laid ont in squares and surrounded by a cane trellis. 



Lorenzo da Credi's pietLU'c of the 'Annunciation ' shows an immense park garden with straight 

 walks, and cool thickets, grass parterres, a welhhcad near an oratory, and masses of imposing trees. 



The designing of gardens was one of the many branches of art to which the ^xaintcr was called 

 upon to devote his attention. In the valuable collection of drawings at the ITfizi Gallery, Florence, 

 arc several original sketches. One is a delightful little design for a town garden on an irregularly 



