There is a sad story associated with the garden of the Villa Vigoni by Lake Como. The young Julius Mylius (1800-30) was in poor health. And in spite of the convalescence ordained for him he died. He only just managed to marry the love of his life, Anastesie Kreutzner. It is said that they had scarcely put the ring on her finger before Julius dell dead in her arms.
Julius’ father, Heinrich Mylius (1769-1854) had bought the Villa Vigoni on Lake Como in 1829 – the year before his son died. In 1831, the architect Gaetano Besia (1791-1871) was given the task of erecting a small temple in the garden as a monument to Julius. There are two marble reliefs inside this temple, one of which represents Julius at the moment of his death. There is in Thorvaldsens Museum an elevation of the relief, i.e. a drawing that precisely and to scale reproduces the relief on the wall (inv. no. E2277). Facing it, on the opposite wall, is the relief that Heinrich Mylius commissioned from Thorvaldsen on 25.7.1833 (inv. no. A364). The garden seen in the lithograph was designed by Giuseppe Balzaretti (1801-74) with inspiration from landscaped German romantic gardens. Precisely planned; and yet looking as though it were a product of nature itself.
Riccardi dis. / Carolina Lose inc. / NELLA RIMEMBRANZA TRANQUILLA DI UNA SOFFERTA SCIAGURA / NON SI ESTINGUE IL DOLORE MA SI CONVERTE IN UN / SOAVE SENTIMENTO