Italian Villas [Hardcover]

Ovidio Guaita (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2003

Roman in origin, the villa evolved from serving as a rural and farming center to a stately country residence. Over time the villa's agricultural function became secondary to a new ideal--a place for intellectual leisure and healthy country living. As a result, the new dwelling had to reflect a cultivated design as did its landscaping. Villas were no longer the work of unskilled laborers but of gifted architects, the best known of which is Andrea Palladio, whose style remains influential today. In this fascinating volume, the author describes and illustrates 250 of the most remarkable villas from the 600-year-old tradition, some well-known houses, others generally overlooked. Presented here are panoramas and details of grand country villas and magnificent suburban estates, each with its own charm and history, and each of which contributes to a style that is still imitated in our century. The illustrations and text by Ovidio Guaita, representing decades of work, are grouped by region, north to south. Enriching the coverage, each chapter includes a profile of a personality--architect, builder, artist, or patron--whose work had a lasting influence on the culture of the villa. Supplementing the color photographs of exteriors and interiors are architectural drawings of houses and maps. The appendices offer a glossary, a bibliography, and a listing of villas that may be visited. This splendid book should be of great appeal to those interested in architecture, art history, and travel.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ovidio Guaita is an architect, photographer, and journalist. He is affiliated with the University of Florence's School of Architecture and writes for Ville Giardini magazine. He has published some 20 books of photographs, including Great Houses around the World and Terrestrial Paradise.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 311 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789208040
• ISBN-13: 978-0789208040
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,847,070 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vibrant Villas, April 22, 2005

By 

Shannon Deason (Houston) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Italian Villas (Hardcover)

This is a very informative and interesting book. The pictures though well executed are not as vivid as I expected, I don't know if it's because of the paper used or the exposer, they just don't pop vividly off the page like you often see in books of this price but they are well done and are clear. Having said that the villas covered are great and the picture ARE well executed, all the major areas of Italy are covered and the villas chosen are the best. I really did like this book, it's just that I have owned such fine books, I expect alot, but I do highly recomment the book to anyone interested the subject, it is a fine book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book and useful for my purposes, September 18, 2010

By 

RR in DC "RR" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Italian Villas (Hardcover)

This is one of six dated books I bought for decorating ideas on use of space, creating a strong landscaping, architectural and room statements, storage, hiding the functional in plain sight. The other three books I bought on Italian style focused on building structure and somewhat more rustic styles. This beautiful book, published in 2003, presents the style of the affluent living in settings with strong classical influences. It is organized by region, so there is a taste of each section of Italy. It is good for landscaping ideas, ideas on how to further a strong decorating statement by incorporating architectural accents, and color.

4.0 out of 5 stars Italian Villas, August 16, 2008

By 

Hugo E. Dorta - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Italian Villas (Hardcover)

If you like Italian architecture, then you will surely enjoy this book.
The book contains many illustrations with complete descriptions. Honestly, if you like italian villas, this book is certainly a must for your private library.