On the western shore of Lake Como rests Villa Balbiano, one of Italy's legendary villa's and the subject of this gorgeous drawing exclusively brought to you by Ferdasco. The villa was built at the end of the 16th century by Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio who used it as his main residence. A century later, it was enlarged and embellished by Cardinal Angelo Maria Durini who used it as a frequent site of festivals, banquets and dances. Villa Balbiano is now the largest private residence on Lake Como at 2 hectares or almost 5 acres, complete with a garden that was distinguished by the British Society of Garden Designers. The interior houses art and furniture sourced from Sotheby’s and Christie’s with 17th century frescoes painted by the Recchi brothers and Agostino Silva still decorating the walls. The villa continues to be a social hotspot on the lake, and is mostly used for weddings and parties.

Lake Como itself is the third-largest lake in Italy and houses numerous villas and resorts. It has been a famous vacation spot for the wealthy and aristocrats of the world since Roman times, with many celebrities claiming homes along its shores. The Sacro Monte di Ossuccio ("Holy Mount of Ossuccio"), one of nine Italian holy sites of Christianity known as "Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy", is also located along the western edge of Lake Como. The site is dedicated to the Coronation of the Virgin and was added by UNESCO to the World Heritage List in 2003.

The illustration was first drawn on paper on location at The Gallery Aaldering in Brummen, the biggest classic car dealer in Europe before being digitally illustrated and printed on large and luxurious museum-quality paper. We put many hours into revisions to ensure that all the villa's details are accurate and properly represent the opulence with which it graces the shore of Lake Como.

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