130 
THE GARDENS OF ITALY. 
The lower storey of the villa is faced by a spacious open colonnade which runs its whole 
length, and along which stand statues and vases. In the photograph we can see, midway, a 
beautiful reclining statue of Agrippina. 
Within doors the rooms are gleaming with marble, rich with gilding, and still contain many 
masterpieces of painting and sculpture. One of Perugino’s most exquisite panel paintings 
glows upon the wall ; above a mantelpiece is framed the splendid sulky Antinolis, crowned 
with lotus blossom ; over another is that most lovely and delicate bas-relief of the parting ol 
Orpheus and Eurydice. Archaic Greek reliefs, fine Roman work, alabaster vases, sarcophagi, 
statuettes, frescoes are placed with thought and care whichever way you turn ; bits of exquisite 
classic carving are let in as overdoors. At everv turn inscriptions tell us how Alexander Albani 
built and adorned the edifice, and how Alexander Torlonia restored it in 1871. 
Winckelmann speaks of manv beautiful things which have since disappeared, two hundred 
and ninety-four of the finest specimens having been carried off in the French invasion. He 
tells us, too, of the English visitors whom the Cardinal entertained — Milady IMontagu, Milady 
Bute, Lord Baltimore, and “ the celebrated and famous Wilkes of England.” He speaks of 
the head of a Pallas, which he holds to be the most perfect beauty under the sun, as being 
snapped up while he was 
thinking about the price. 
He tells us he has 
become so wrapped up 
in the villa that he cannot 
bear anyone to visit it 
without him, and w-hen 
a certain German count 
desired to go and visit it 
with one of his acquaint- 
ances he said, ” No ! ” 
plump. 
There is a charming 
small casino at the far side 
of the garden, which was 
probablv the great Profes- 
sor’s private apartment. 
It is easy to imagine him 
with the Cardinal exulting 
together over their new' 
acquisitions, deciding 
their positions, and saun- 
tering in the gardens, 
which grew more beautiful vear by year, w'hile all the time Winckelmann was writing his famous 
works on art. His patron gave him time and opportunity for perfecting himself as a connoisseur. 
He was sent to other galleries to see any treasures they possessed, and thus he gradually acquired a 
certainty of eye and taste w'hich made him the greatest living authority on sculpture. Truth, 
harmony, and beauty were his guiding principles, and he joined to wide knowledge and reading a 
ready and tenacious memorv. He was an indefatigable worker, and book after book came from 
his hand on engraved gems, on the state of art and science in Italy, and, greatest of all, his work 
on the history of Greek art. The revised edition of this w^as just finished in 1768 w'hen the 
pleasant friendship that had lasted for eleven years came to an end in a dismal tragedy. 
Winckelmann decided to go on a tour to Vienna to see his old friends and to accept some of 
the invitations which he had received from famous and learned men. In Vienna he was 
received with the most gratifying honours. The King and Queen loaded him with presents, the 
Ministers, many of them great connoisseurs and patrons of art, expressed their gratitude to the man 
who had written its history. He passed delightful days in the old villa of Schdnbrun, wTere the 
Baron de Sperges invited him to meet the Queen and a bevy of archdukes and archduchesses. 
