Palladio is not this northeastern Italian region's only celebrated son. It is also the birthplace of his contemporary, Giambattista Tiepolo (1669-1770). Tiepolo is credited with having most elegantly depicted the splendor and grandeur of patrician Venice. Perhaps prompted by an awareness of their own commercial decline, 18th century Venetians commissioned works which glorified the city-state's former supremacy to decorate their country homes in the outlaying areas. Series of frescoes were created much in the manner of theatre backdrops, depicting sunny and allegorical scenes.

Tiepolo was one prominent artist whose work best represents the aristocracy's evasive tendency. Fine examples of his art can be seen in the Villa Valmarana at Nani di Monte Berico, the Loschi Zileri Dal Verme at Biron, in the Cordellina at Montecchio Maggiore, as well as the in Villa Pisani in the town of Stra, which dominates the Brenta Valley.

Tiepolo's works enrich the walls and ceilings of the luxurious Vicentine country residences with precious allegorical figures, capricious heavens, timeless visions of the planet Uranus, melodramatic and moving mythical scenes, feminine personifications of virtue (vices were ever masculine to Tiepolo), exuberant colors and a decorative, naturalistic virtuosity. Together, these ingredients combine to create a colorful orchestration, both light and full of rhythms reminiscent of the innumerable theater productions presented in the " city on the lagoon" in the 1600's.

The "Tiepolesque" villas are open to the public, and are all within a few miles of one another. They differ from many other aristocratic residences in that the frescos were not painted after construction was completed, as in the case of many palladian villas decorated by other artists. Rather, Tiepolo painted while construction was going on, which often allowed the artist to bend the structure to his artistic will.

Tiepolo had already acheived no small fame by this time, over-paid and often adulated to the point of eclipsing the architects with whom he worked. He actually led the life of a lord, surrounded by a pack of greyhounds, his parrots and an ostentatious display of fine jewels.
Visiting the Vicentine villas, it is therefore interesting to see the resulting contrast between the gaity of the frescoes , light as quivering clouds, and the rather severe decorum of the external structure, unavoidably influenced by Palladio. The solemn and sternly classic facades of the region's 21 villas give way to reveal cozy little salons, one imagines, set aside for special guests, to provide them with a degree of privacy from the less noble guests accomodated in the annex building.

As opposed to the theological and erudite references seen in frescoes painted by other artists in palladian villas, Tiepolo's allegorical motifs are more often popular, simple and moralistic, representing for example "L'Umilita che scaccia la Superbia (Humility Casting off Haughtiness) in the Loschi Zileri Villa or " L'Intelligenza scaccia L'Ignoranza" (Knowledge Banishing Ignorance) on a ceiling of the Villa Cordellina.

Tiepolo's almost lyrical frescoes play such a part in recalling the rush of its erstwhile medieval fair atmosphere to this dynamic city, that Vicenza has organized a round of concerts to take place in the various villas, including the Valmarana at Nani. It was here that Tiepolo in his later years paid hommage to great classical poetry (The Illiad,The Aeneid, Orlando Furioso and Gerusalemme Liberata) in his works.

Info-Line:

The villas are open to the public upon request.
Villa Zileri - Tel.: 0444-566880
Villa Cordellina - tel.: 0444-399141
Villa Valmarana - tel.: 0444-0543976

To arrange for guided tours, contact:
VICENZA E' Tours, Corso Fogazzaro 37, tel. 0444-320854.

Golden Dreams in a Villa, Tiepolo a Tavola:

Amid the enchanting Monti Berici scenary, just 10 minutes from Vicenza and the Valmarana of Nani, the 16th century Villa Michaelangelo (Arcugnano, Tel.: 0444-550300) guests are treated to a noble slumber in a rural setting. The former Villa Zilio, or Poggio Lieto of the Counts Osboli, it has been transformed into a country inn with 40 rooms decorated a l'epoque and boasting patios, a swimming pool and jogging course.

Another Vicentine villa, the Villa Palma in Mussolente (Via Chemin Palma 30, Tel.: 0424-577407) emerges for the high quality of its restaurant La Loggia, and the inn's 22 rooms, furnished with period pieces, recreating the noble atmosphere of old Veneto.

To get into the lively, most enjoyable spirit of the Veneto of the 1700's, visitors should sample the cuisine at Molin Vecio in Caldogno (Tel.: 0444-585168) which includes such Tiepololese specialties as Zuppa di Riso alla Veneziana, storione ammollicato, and carni alla peverada agrodolce (Venetian rice soup, stuffed sturgeon, sweet and sour beef). These dishes are prepared using authentic 18th century recipes and should not be missed!

Fine craftmanship of the Area:

Luigi Borgato is surrounded by the sounds of music as he works with his wife Paola in one the vicinity's lovely palladian villas, Villa Pisani di Bagnolo in Lonigo, making grand pianos (averaging three instruments in two years).

Crftsman Gianni Coriolato (Vicolo Cieco Retrone, Tel.: 0444-321846) has been restoring, cleaning and gilding the antique frames of prominent Vicentine families for 29 years. In Vicenza's tranquil Barche district, he has been working small wonders using true Venetian gilding techniques learned in Venice where he started at the age of fifteen. Following ancient procedures, employed since the thirteenth century, Coriolato's legendary skill makes use of Armenian bole, an earthy clay colored by the presence of iron oxide originating in Armenia and traditionally utilised in gilding. Its primary function is to bond gold-leaf to wood or plaster, and has the added effect of giving the gold (20-22 karat) a more red or yellow cast. Coriolato also uses rabbits' tails, kaolin, agate for burnishing the gold finish and egg white in his work.

Master goldsmith Benito Beniero (contra Pasini 11) has been working at his craft in the city for decades, using the traditional bone of cuttle-fish to work the gold.

Ville Venete