DOI chapter:
V. Genoese villas
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61216#0242
GENOESE VILLAS
permitted an interesting development of landscape-archi-
tecture. A fine pedimented gateway with rusticated piers
gives admission to a straight avenue of plane-trees lead-
ing up to the house, which is a dignified building with
two stories, a mezzanin and an attic. The windows on
the ground floor are square-headed, with oblong sunk
panels above; while on the first floor there is a slightly
baroque movement about the architraves, and every other
window is surmounted by a curious shell-shaped pedi-
ment. On the garden side a beautiful marble balcony
forms the central motive of the piano nobile, and the
roof is enclosed in a balustrade with alternate solid
panels and groups of balusters. The plan is oblong,
with slightly projecting wings, adorned on both stories
with coupled pilasters, which on the lower floor are rus-
ticated and above are fluted Corinthian, painted on the
stucco surface of the house. This painting of archi-
tectural ornament is very characteristic of Genoese
architecture, and was done with such skill that, at a
little distance, it is often impossible to distinguish a
projecting architectural member from its frescoed coun-
terfeit.
In front of the villa is a long narrow formal garden,
supported on three sides by a lofty retaining-wall. Down
the middle of this garden, on an axis with the central
doorway of the fagade, runs a canal terminated by
reclining figures of river-gods and marble dolphins
spouting water. An ilex-walk flanks it on each side,
187
permitted an interesting development of landscape-archi-
tecture. A fine pedimented gateway with rusticated piers
gives admission to a straight avenue of plane-trees lead-
ing up to the house, which is a dignified building with
two stories, a mezzanin and an attic. The windows on
the ground floor are square-headed, with oblong sunk
panels above; while on the first floor there is a slightly
baroque movement about the architraves, and every other
window is surmounted by a curious shell-shaped pedi-
ment. On the garden side a beautiful marble balcony
forms the central motive of the piano nobile, and the
roof is enclosed in a balustrade with alternate solid
panels and groups of balusters. The plan is oblong,
with slightly projecting wings, adorned on both stories
with coupled pilasters, which on the lower floor are rus-
ticated and above are fluted Corinthian, painted on the
stucco surface of the house. This painting of archi-
tectural ornament is very characteristic of Genoese
architecture, and was done with such skill that, at a
little distance, it is often impossible to distinguish a
projecting architectural member from its frescoed coun-
terfeit.
In front of the villa is a long narrow formal garden,
supported on three sides by a lofty retaining-wall. Down
the middle of this garden, on an axis with the central
doorway of the fagade, runs a canal terminated by
reclining figures of river-gods and marble dolphins
spouting water. An ilex-walk flanks it on each side,
187