HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION 



29 



The Palazzo del Tc, at Mantua, -erected as a country house for Duke Frederick I. in 1525 



3S 



by Giulio Ronuuio, was another of the most famous pleasure-houses of this time. Its somewhat 



curious name is derived from a \o\v-\ying plot of land upon which it stood, known as the Tcjctto, 



outside the Porta Pusterla, from which it was approached by two Hne avenues. The palace was 



quadrangular, arranged around a cortile, and upon the garden side were two fishponds, where all kinds 



of goldfish swam, and where, on festive occasions, small water fights were arranged. These were 



crossed by a bridge leading to the grand 



parterre, with buildings at either corner, and 



terminated by a large semicircle with statues, 



vases, herms, etc. On either side of the 



parterre were pleached alleys, with statues to 



Ceres, Flora, and other divinities. To the 



right of the garden ^\■as a large greenhouse 



for the storage of rare plants in winter, 



adjoining which were several garden salons, 



all most lavishly decorated with paintings 



depicting the life of man, and on the cast of 



the garden was a cool marble grotto and 



sunk giardinetto.^ As time went on this 



beautiful palace fell into disrepair. In \'a])o- 



Iconic days its glories were re\-I\-ed, but now 



it has again fallen into a state of neglect. 



In 1527 the Villa d" Fste on Lake Como 

 was commenced, and a few years later the 

 gardens and cascades ascending the hillside 

 were carried out. Many of the more inipurtant 

 Genoese villas also date from this period, 

 and were principally the work of Galeazzo 

 Alessi. Among these are the Villa Ginstiniani 

 at Albaro, built in 1537, remarkable for one 

 of the finest loggias in Italy; the Palazzo 



Pallavicini, at Genoa, was constructed at the same time, from Alessl's designs; he also built 

 the \'illa Imperial!, at Sanpierdarena. In 1529 the famous Doria Palace at Genoa was 

 commenced (a plan of these gardens is given on Plate 13). A few years later the outer 

 gardens of the Vatican were laid out by Antonio di Sangallo, who was also responsible for the 

 Palazzo Baldassini, the Palazzo Sacchetti, and the greater part of the Pahizzo Farnese. 



PALAZZO DEL TE , MANTVA 



For ^ further dcjscriiJtion of the Pala;^/,o del 'I'u sec Archivio Storico Lombardo, vol. iv. Series II. Milano, 1SS7, 



