Isola Bella, Prima

The Borromeo family, whose 13th century patriarch was a Ghibelline and was decapitated by the Guelphs (think: Ned Stark), have owned the Borromeo Islands since the 15th century. After the Guelph/Ghibelline thing and their removal to Milan, they got into banking, international banking, and, of course, affairs of the Church. Over the centuries, the Borromeos have included seven cardinals, a saint, numerous bishops, an archbishop, and probably scores of counts, princes, dukes, and what have you.  The current Borromeos still own the islands (and more) and show up now and then for  visits. Just FYI. Isola Bella is the larger of the two isles, with the larger palace and the more formal Italianate gardens. Alas, I took lots of pix, but have whittled them down to just two short (for me) posts.

Someone else's photo; Isola Bella is supposed to look like a ship in the lake, the
palace at the bow, the gardens extending from amidships to the stern; so to speak;
Avast! 

Entry hall

The place is studded with art, though no titanic biggies; lots of "workshop of ..."
which is what you call it when you discover you've been had

This said to be a Quentin Massys St. Jerome; no kitty!

Nice furnishings throughout; "Jeez I've got a headache"

Throne Room; throne; when I was a teenager, these terms always drew hysterical
laughter

His/her bedrooms

German tour bus group admiring nice blue glass collection

Now in the tall formal hall

With a helpful model

Music room

Napoleon slept here; in this bed; en route to conquering
Italy he and a small party dropped in for a visit; allegedly
trashed the place, even went hunting peacocks on Isola
Madre; never ever got along real well with nobility

View south down the lake

More nice art, furnishings

Another big hall

Now we're downstairs looking at marionettes and such; these people were really
into puppetry

Watteau's Pierrot (look it up)

Daenrys Targaryen rides again