House & Garden 
is Bosch, a painter of the beginning ot the 
sixteenth century, almost unknown out ot 
Spain, whose fantastic and allegorical subjects 
in the style of Brueghel were much praised 
by the authorities ot his time. The cabinet 
is a treat for china fanciers, and is tilled 
with the finest known specimens ot Buen 
Retiro porcelain. The walls ot the room 
are entirely covered with large plaques, 
representing high relief groups ot Japanese 
figures, beautifully painted and modeled. 
The looking-glasses made at La Granja, add 
to the effect, the frames being composed ot 
fruits and flowers carved in wood. This 
room was painted and modeled by Joseph 
Gricci, of Naples, one of the artists brought 
tram Italy by Charles III, when he estab¬ 
lished at Madrid in 1759, the fabric of Buen 
Retiro, which had existed previously at the 
Neapolitan Palace ot Capo di Monte. Phis 
porcelain is marked with the fleur-de-lis in 
colors of gold. The mirrors and the inlaid 
woodwork throughout the entire palace are 
especially fine. 
As we pass the windows we catch lovely 
glimpses ot the parterre below, and behind 
the palace we see shady avenues of oriental 
plane-trees and boiling cascades. The elms 
seems to thrive wonderfully under the com¬ 
bined influence of heat and moisture, and 
some are of enormous proportions. It has 
been said that in their branches all the 
nightingales of Spain collect, and well they 
might, for nowhere in that country could 
they find a more lovely singing gallery. To 
reach these gardens we must pass along be¬ 
neath the small acacia-trees, which line the 
road at the side of the palace—between the 
long arcaded buildings, the abode ot the 
officers of the estate—and the garden walls. 
The rear portion ot the palace is of wholly 
different style, the sloping slate roofs with 
their double tiers ot dormers showing the 
Dutch influence introduced into Aranjuez 
upon the return ot Marquis Grimaldi from 
his Kmbassy to The Hague. 
We now seem to be standing at the focal 
point of this royal village. Wide, shady 
avenues lead away in all directions, while 
near by we see the Convent Church of San 
Antonio, with its lanterned domes and 
covered arcades flanked with bushy acacias, 
which seem determined to look their best 
that they may not wholly give up their 
native town to the invasion ot foreign trees. 
Between the arches and toward the ends ot 
THE DESCENT TO THE ISLAND GARDEN ARANJUEZ 
509 
