Palazzi of Rome

Rating:
Summary: Cluttered text but mostly sumptuous
Review: For a volumous 400-page hardcover this is quite a bargain. The intro chapter is confusing for those unfamiliar with Roman architecture as it casually quotes and references. The rest of the book, I feel, lacks a certain focus and consists of mouthing off dry facts, though the writers objectively portray some of the palace owners as unsymphathetic. The book is divided according to the various villas and palazzi around and about Rome. There are some of the most impressive exterior and interior photos ever printed on a book. These include Palazzi on Campidoglio, Villa Farnesina (where Rapahel's GALATEA resides), Palazzo Farnese (where Caracci's TRIUMPH OF BACCHUS graces its ceiling), Villa Madama with its delightful rustic gardens, Villa Medici, the majestic Quirinal Palace, Palazzo Doria Pamphili where you can find Caravaggio's FLIGHT TO EGYPT, and among many others. The huge disappointment: the Vatican Palace section is only accompanied by 6 pictures, with no details on the Raphael and Fran Angelico frescoes. In addition, the text often mentions images that are absent in the book. For example, the writer uses the words "unrepeatable" and "impressive" to describe the equestrian monument of Marcus Aurelius on Campidoglio, but all we see is a miniscule figure in a half-page aerial photograph of the piazza.

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking Lush Roman Interiors
Review: The interiors of the various Palazzi and Villas of Rome are often one of the great unseen sights of this ancient city. These ancient Roman mansions are often breathtaking inside and quite unlike what you will find in the stately homes other countries such as England or France. In many cases the artists have taken whole rooms and turned them into one great 3 dimensional canvas showing scenes from mythology, history and nature.

This book is filled with wonderful colour photographs of the exteriors and interiors of various Roman Palazzi, covering many of the better known publicly owned buildings and some that are still privately owned. We get to see such places as The Vatican Palace, Palazzi Massimo, Villa Farnesina, Villa Madama, Palazzo Altemps and Palazzo Colonna just to name a random few in the book.

If you have any interest in the Italy of old or interior design this book is a must. You get a glimpse of the great Italian genius for frescoed interiors and a way of life for the very rich in the past that will never be repeated. There is much more to see in Rome than the ancient ruins and this book gives you a glimpse of some of those treasures and will leave you stunned with some of the wonderful beauty of some of these palaces.

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking Lush Roman Interiors
Review: The interiors of the various Palazzi and Villas of Rome are often one of the great unseen sights of this ancient city. These ancient Roman mansions are often breathtaking inside and quite unlike what you will find in the stately homes other countries such as England or France. In many cases the artists have taken whole rooms and turned them into one great 3 dimensional canvas showing scenes from mythology, history and nature.

This book is filled with wonderful colour photographs of the exteriors and interiors of various Roman Palazzi, covering many of the better known publicly owned buildings and some that are still privately owned. We get to see such places as The Vatican Palace, Palazzi Massimo, Villa Farnesina, Villa Madama, Palazzo Altemps and Palazzo Colonna just to name a random few in the book.

If you have any interest in the Italy of old or interior design this book is a must. You get a glimpse of the great Italian genius for frescoed interiors and a way of life for the very rich in the past that will never be repeated. There is much more to see in Rome than the ancient ruins and this book gives you a glimpse of some of those treasures and will leave you stunned with some of the wonderful beauty of some of these palaces.