LIBRO

Eleonora Di Toledo and the Creation of the Boboli Gardens

di Bruce Edelstein

"The gardens were from the outset a project to develop a vast estate in the heart of Renaissance Florence. Thus, Boboli represents a pivotal moment in the history of the aristocratic palace, in which the traditional relationship between architecture and landscape was inverted: extensive, elaborate gardens now assumed the role of protagonist while the palace was initially relegated to a secondary role. Fresh archival research confirms that the duchess was solely responsible for the patronage of the gardens until her death. A key element of this study focuses on Eleonora's Spanish origins and the development of her taste in viceregal Naples, prompting a reconsideration of Boboli in a larger context, beyond its traditional image as part of a glorious continuum of Medici gardens."--