Italian Gardens

Originally published in 1961 as a complementary study to Geoffrey Jellicoe's architectural work, "Italian Gardens of the Renaissance", this book is intended to present a layman's point of view on the subject, providing immediate first impressions of the countless pleasures that are a feast to the senses, whilst providing a comprehensive background to the gardens, their antecedents and history. Tracing a line through the history and topography of Italy, Mary Johnson - writing under the pseudonym of Georgina Masson - picks out the finest examples of gardens dating from the Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque periods.Primarily, it is a masterpiece of photography, evoking memories for those who have already visited the gardens and persuasive to those who have not. Secondly, it is a very able study of the history of Italian gardens from their inception in ancient Rome, followed by the medieval and early Humanist gardens, as well as the later ones of Tuscany, Rome, the Veneto and Northern Italy. This new edition contains Georgina Masson's classic text alongside her original photographs. It includes many previously unpublished images and they layout has been revised to show the gardens in their full glory. There is also a new chapter showing the plans and sections of some of the most famous gardens, enabling readers to fully comprehend their careful design. The introduction by Margherita Azzi Visentini places Masson's work in context amongst other studies of the subject and gives important insights into the author and her research. This book captures uniquely the flavour of a beautiful and gracious time and place.