Chapter 5 argues that Villa Pisani cannot be seen in isolation from its suburban context. It examines Montagnana’s identity as a small but significant urban center; the character of the district where Villa Pisani was built; and the role of civic benefactor that Pisani cultivated for himself.

Chapter 7 argues that the expanded version of Villa Pisani published in Palladio’s 1570 treatise belongs to the period of the villa’s ideation and construction, not to a later moment when Palladio prepared his treatise for publication. This case study suggests an alternate interpretation of the marked discrepancies between Palladio’s works as built and as published: rather than idealizations, they can be understood as future possibilities.

Chapter 3 uses a rich array of archival evidence to reconstruct the lived experience of Francesco Pisani, his family, and his household at Villa Pisani. The architecture and decoration of Villa Pisani framed agricultural business, sociability, and even religious devotion, not only during the traditional season of villeggiatura (country living) but throughout the year.

Chapter 8 shows that Palladio’s design for the unbuilt wings would have reinforced the villa’s hybrid character through their allusions to a range of urban and rural building types. Their evocation of the ancient triumphal arch would have made a bold claim for Pisani hegemony in Montagnana.

Chapter 2 traces the biography of the patron, Venetian patrician Francesco Pisani (1509–67), addressing his family affairs, political offices, and cultural patronage in Venice. An investigation of where and how Pisani lived when in his native city clarifies the reasons for his investment in his mainland estate.

Chapter 1 analyzes Palladio’s design for Villa Pisani in relation to ancient and Renaissance architectural theory, local building practice, and his own written and built works. Although Palladio’s approach to typology was more flexible than generally understood, the building is recognizably a hybrid of a villa and a palace, which can be linked to Alberti’s conception of the suburban residence (hortus suburbanus).