| Description: | This course examines the development of Italian villa and garden architecture from ancient Roman times to the present. This course covers these artistic periods: 1) Ancient Rome; 2) Medieval; 3) Renaissance and Mannerism; 4) Baroque; 5) Romantic; 6) Modern. Special emphasis is placed on the Renaissance, and on Florentine, Tuscan and Roman villas and gardens. Lectures and visits illuminate the intimate relationship between the villa, its formal gardens, and the surrounding environment. The course examines structures and grounds in terms of architectural design, typical features of each period (paintings and statues, fountains, grottoes, plants), and conceptual and symbolic meanings. The course will also explore the social and aesthetic function of villas and gardens: "magic places" in which nature and culture, work and pleasure meet. The aim of this course is to offer students a comprehensive look at the history and character of Italian villas and gardens, in the process familiarizing them with Italian ways of life and thought. |