As the gilded panel proclaims, this book is a collaboration between Edith Wharton and Maxfield Parrish. Italian Villas and their Gardens was published in 1904, and includes many photos of the houses and their grounds in addition to Parrish’s illustrations. The Parrish pictures look at times like unpopulated scenes from his illustrations for children’s books.
Elsewhere on { feuilleton }
• The illustrators archive
Tip top! I’m a big fan of Parrish and have a couple of books of his work but I don’t believe that I’ve ever seen these before. Thanks.
I know it’s nothing new, but where I’m from cypresses aren’t that common (only on cemetery), and I am becoming increasingly fascinated by their ability to reshape everyday environment at certain times a day, to create overwhelming mood, ambiance with their presence, feelings evoked with long shadows they cast at dusk, all of which is so wonderfully illustrated here.
Wonderful stuff, but a shame there’s nothing from the Amalfi Coast. I visited Klingsor’s Garden at the Villa Rufolo in September and can only imagine what kind of shimmering vision Mr Parrish would have made of it…
Andy: I love cypresses as well but you don’t see them here very often, poplars are more common as tall, thin trees. Italy also has those wonderful umbrella-shaped stone pines.
Love these!