“Roomscapes: The Decorative Architecture of Renzo Mongiardino” 1993 CATTENEO, Fiorenzo (INSCRIBED) The Cary Collection

CATTENEO, Fiorenzo

Rizzoli

1993

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On the international design scene, Milan-based architect Renzo Mongiardino was renowned as the consummate creator of spectacular, atmospheric spaces. His dramatic, theatrical approach to design has produced elegant period interiors that have influenced many other designers.

12 May 1916 – 16 January 1998) was an Italian architect, interior designer and production designer. He was nominated for two Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction.

This handsome monograph, the first complete presentation of Mongiardino’s work, explores his philosophy of space, design, and life itself. Extraordinary color photographs illustrate the brilliant arrangements of objects, art, and antiques and the rich array of textiles and painted effects– faux wood, marble, and other materials, extravagant full-scale trompe l’oeils– that epitomize his style. Mongiardino draws from sources that range from ancient Greek, Roman, and Etruscan artifacts to the work of the Renaissance and baroque masters Michelangelo, Palladio, Bernini, and Borromini and to antique fabrics, carpets, and objets; he also adds poetic recollections of important personal and historical spaces and incorporates his view of nature as a collaborator in the design process. Equally important is his ability to reflect the personality and lifestyle of his distinguished clients, whether in New York, London, Milan, Rome, or Paris. The resulting interior landscapes transform rooms into evocative surroundings of startling beauty.

Practical considerations of design are discussed in Mongiardino’s own words. He shares his insights into particular spaces– small or large, study or grand gallery– and traces the solutions he originated to create them. Through early sketches, impressionistic drawings and watercolors, and detailed photographs, he unfolds the story of each space, highlighting both its particular challenges and the lessons to be learned from its ultimate success as a stunning environment for living.