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104 THE ART OF GARDEN DESIGN IN ITALY 



parterre remained in much the same state as shown upon Plate 80, and if Le N5tre did make a 

 design for the parterre, it is hardly probable it would have afterwards been altered. 



One of Piranesi's finest engravings shows a view of these gardens, with the elaborate box 

 parterre, circular fountain, and jets d'eau, and the central stairway and grotto of Venus leading 

 to the level of the lower garden. At either end of the great parterre are pools of water, mirroring 

 on their still surface the deep shade of the ilex, with the lighter tones of the great orange-trees 

 and terracotta vases upon the margin. Bronze fleur-de-lis fountains shoot up sparkling jets of 

 water. Upon a level with the casino, a terrace leads to the broad greensward and magnificent 

 woods of umbrella pines beyond, and here and there some ancient piece of statuary or sarcophagi 

 blend their mellowed tones with the dark green background. Much of the garden, as it is 

 shown upon Plate 80, has been since changed, though we can still trace the long lines of the 



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pines as they were originally planted, leading to the great park, with its curious little pheasant 



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house, dairy and bird decoy, connected with an oval lake and long canal leading to the orange 

 plantation. The semicircular theatre still remains connected by an underground passage passing 

 beneath the hill. 



'The casino,' says Goncourt, 'has the appearance of one of Benvenuto Cellini's chests in 

 burnished silver, with little white statues standing out against the deep blue sky, as sentinels from 

 Olympus. Set in the midst of dark indigo trees, and surrounded by grassplots, white in springtime 

 with daisies, and terraces with huge vases of bluish aloes or great camellia bushes.' 



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