The Gardens of the Villa Madama, near Rome
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Erskine Hewitt
Accession Number
1938-57-741-b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Created in 1761 by the French artist Jean-Baptiste Richard de Saint Non, "The Gardens of the Villa Madama, near Rome" offers a glimpse into one of Italy’s most celebrated Renaissance estates. The Villa Madama, situated on the slopes of Monte Mario outside Rome, was begun in the early sixteenth century under the patronage of Pope Leo X and later completed by the Medici family. Its terraced gardens, with their classical fountains, loggias, and sweeping views, became a model of harmonious landscape design that inspired generations of European visitors. As a print held in the Smithsonian American...