Alfons
Mucha, Frutta, 1897. Art Nouveau, also known in Italy as a floral style, Art
Nouveau style or new art, was an artistic and philosophical movement that
developed between the end of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th
century. the figurative arts, architecture and applied arts. The name Art
Nouveau ("new art") was coined in Belgium, in France the movement was also known
as Style Guimard, Style 1900 or École de Nancy (for art objects); also in Great
Britain it was known as Art Nouveau together with the definitions in the
language of Modern Style or Studio Style, while in Germany it took the name of
Jugendstil, in Austria Sezessionstil, in the Netherlands Nieuwe Kunst (translation
of Art Nouveau in Dutch), in Poland Secesja, in Switzerland Style sapin or
Jugendstil, in Serbia and Croatia Secesija, in Russia Modern and, in Spain,
Modernism.
The Liberty style name that spread in Italy derives from the Arthur Liberty
warehouses in London, which regularly exhibited art objects and fabrics designed
in the Art Nouveau style at the end of the 19th century. The Art Nouveau in
architecture and interior design overcame the eclectic historicism that
permeated the Victorian age. The artists of Art Nouveau selected and modernized
some of the Rococo elements, such as flame and shell decorations, instead of the
classic Victorian natural ornaments. Instead they favored nature for their
source of inspiration, but they evidently stylized the elements and expanded
this repertoire with the addition of algae, blades of grass, insects. Ultimately,
the most revolutionary character of architectural research was the complete
renunciation of the architectural order which, despite some experimentalisms,
had retained throughout the nineteenth century its own role throughout the
architectural landscape, not only academic.
Milazzo
as a seaport, land of the English who lived in 800, could not remain insensitive
to new fashions. The Art Nouveau villa, built in 1929, has for decades hosted
the branch office of the Barcelona court. Vivida Art Nouveau expression, Villa
Vaccarino in Milazzo was built in 1929 by the engineer Gaetano Bonanno with the
collaboration of the painter Michele Amoroso, who took care of the decorative
part. The construction in 1982 has been recognized of considerable historical
interest, its undisputed charm lies in the balance between architectural
elements and decorative elements. Worthy of special mention, among the prominent
elements of Villa Vaccarino, is the spring with a tank equipped with an
artificial islet with a replica of the features of Sicily. The villa testifies
an elegant balance between architecture, spaces and decorations. Inside,
valuable decorations in wood, iron and stucco, and worthy of interest is the
fence made of wrought iron, with elegant floral friezes that are found in the
windows. In front of it, the other villa that is a wedding favor, which belongs
to the Greek family, a noble family of ship owners, owner of vapors, today
inhabited by Franzino Greco. Il Villino Greco of Milazzo (province of Messina),
admirable Art Nouveau art designed by the engineer Letterio D'Andrea dates back
to 1907. The significant features of the construction are to be found in the
colors used for floral decoration and for the elegant zoomorphic motifs in the
ornament of the facade. Remarkable is also the wrought iron gate, with a
large-leaf design on geometric themes, rebuilt in 1986.
Finally on July 15, 2018, after a period of decline, the garden was cleaned up
and it was possible to enjoy and enjoy these places of our history, as you can
see in the video below, shot by TVN Milazzo, on the occasion of the reopening of
the Villa Vaccarino to the public.