Villa Carlotta......The Inside

I was impressed with Villa Carlotta from the moment I stepped through the doors and was greeted by this huge statue of Venus and Mars.  The statue by Luigi Acquisti dominates this entry room called the Marble Room.

All around the room along the walls were plaster reliefs paying homage to Napoleon's deeds.  The room is a great beginning for this beautifully maintained villa.

The villa was built near the end of the seventeenth century and was sold in 1801 to a noble Milanese family.  In 1843, the family heirs sold the villa to Princess Marianne of Prussia who gifted it to her daughter Charlotte upon her wedding to Duke Georg II.  Despite the early death of Charlotte in 1855, the duke and his family stayed on at the Lake Como estate adapting it to changing needs.

This room was redecorated in 1901 and is called The Views Room.  I loved the painted ceiling.

The Napoleonic Room contains a series of prints that highlight the feats of Napoleon Bonaparte in both peace and war.

In a room called the Hayez Room, this painting by Francesco Hayez dominates the room.  It is called "The Last Kiss of Romeo and Juliet" and was of course, inspired by Shakespeare.

Another dominating painting was located in a room called the Sommariva Room named for the early owner of the villa Giovanni Battista Sommariva.  The painting is by Jean-Baptiste Wicar and is called "Virgil Reading Sixth Canto of Aeneid".  In it the emperor's sister faints as she listens to the verses that evoke the death of her son Marcellus.  Her brother Augustus supports her while other guests hush the poet who is standing to the far left.

In the Palamedes Room stands a statue by Antonio Canova.  It portrays Palamedes, a hero of Greek mythology who is celebrated for exposing the deception of Ulysses when he feigned madness to avoid taking part in the Trojan War.

Crossing the central hallway, we toured the less formal rooms like this dining room.

And, Duke Georg II's studio.

The second floor hallway led to rooms like the master bedroom.

And Princess Charlotte's Room where I saw this picture of the Princess and her three sons.  

Villa Carlotta is an exceptional place to visit. From the beautifully lush gardens to the impeccably maintained home, it is well worth a visit for anyone visiting the Lake Como area.