14-! HISTORY OF AIlCHITECTUllE.

Book I.
fscciata dinanzi, non s5 potendo alciina cosa nc ytni bclla ne piu magniflca desidcTare."
'I'lie fa^aile towards tliu Strada Giiilia is dilloront from the otiicr fronts in the centre only,
ivlicrein tiiere are tliree stories of arcades to the \o<^g;\a., each of wliose piers are decorated
wiih columns of the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders in the respective stories as they
rise, and these in form and dimensions corrcsi)oiicl with the three ranks of arcades towards
the court. It ajijiears probahle that this central arrangement was not in the original
design of San Gallo, hnt introduced when the third story was completed. Magnificent as
from its simplicity and symmetry is the exterior of this jialace, which, as De Quincy observes,
"
est un edifice toujours digne d'etre le scjour d'un prince," yet does it not exceed the beauty
of the interior. The (juadranglc of the court is 88 ft. s(]uare between the columns of
the arcades, and is comjiosed with three stories, in which the central arrangement above
mentioned towards the Strada Giiilia is repeated on the two lower stories, over the upper
whereof is a solid wall pierced in the windows. The piers of the lower arcade are orna-
mented with Doric columns, wiiose entablature is charged with triglyjihs in its frieze, and
its metop;c are sculptured with various symbols. The imjiosts of tlie piers arc very
(iiiely ])rofiled, so as to form the entablatiu'es when continued over the columns of the
entrance vestibule. In the Ionic arcade, over this, the frieze of the order is decorated
with a series of festoons. The distribution of the ditlerent apartments and passage is
well contrived. All about the buildins is on a scale of great frrandeur.
Thouffh lonji
unocciii)ied, and a large portion of its internal ornaments has disappeared, it still com-
mands our admiration in the Carracci Gallery, which has continued to serve as a model
for all subse<pient works of the kind. The architecture of the Farnesc palace, more
especially as resjjects the arcades of its court, is the most perfect adajjtation of ancient ar-
rangement to more modern habits that has ever been designed. We here allude more
jiarticularly to the arcades, upon whose piers orders of columns are introduced. 'I'iiis
species of comiiosltion, heavier, doubtless, less elegant, yet more solid than simple colon-
nades, is, on the last accoimt, ]ireferal)le to them, where several stories rise above one
another. The idea was, certainly, conceived from the practice in the ancient theatres and
ampiiitheatres
;
and in its application at the Farnese palace rivals in l)eauty all that
antiquity makes us in its remains acquainted with. San Gallo, its architect, died in 1546.
;?44. It would be impossible here to enumerate the palaces with which Rome abounds
;
but we must mention another, that of St. Giovanni Laterano, by Domenico Fontana,
as a very beautiful sjiecimen of the palatial style. Milizia censures the detail of this edifice,
and there is some truth in his observations in that respect ; but the composition is so sim])le
and grand, and the cornice crowns it with so much majesty, that the detail is forgotten in
the general effect, and its architect well deserves the rank of a great artist.
315. The villas, Ocel/i (V Italia, as they have been called, round the suburbs of Rome,
are in a style far lighter than the palaces whereof we have just been speaking. They arc
the original models of the modern country houses of this island, and exhibit great skill in
their plans and elegance in their
facades. Generally they rose from the riches and taste ol
a (aw cardinals, who studded the environs of the Eternal City with some of the fairest gems
of the art. I\II\I. Percier and Fontaine published a collection of them at I'aris, from
which we extract the Villa Pia
{fig.
170.). It was designed by Pirro Ligorio, a Neapolitan
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