Giuseppe Piermarini
Encyclopedia
Giuseppe Piermarini was an Italian architect who trained with Luigi Vanvitelli
at Rome and designed the Teatro alla Scala, Milan (1776-78), which remains the work by which he is remembered. Indeed, "il Piermarini" serves as an occasional euphemism for the celebrated opera house. Piermarini was appointed professor in the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera, better known as Brera Academy
, Milan, when it was formally founded in 1776.
Piermarini was born at Foligno
, then part of the Papal States
. He was Vanvitelli's collaborator at Caserta
, 1765-1769, when he removed to Milan. From his Milan base he reorganized the University of Pavia
(1770) and the palazzo for the Accademia di Scienze e Belle Lettere, or Accademia Virgiliana, at Mantua
(1773).
With the Habsburg decision permanently to install an archduke at Milan, Piermarini was commissioned to reconstruct the ducal palace adjoining the cathedral as an appropriate city residence and to construct a wholly new country seat near Monza
.
For the archducal residence in Milan, Piermarini successfully avoided competition with the rich Gothic front of the cathedral with his sober neoclassical façade (1773-80) and created the Piazzetta Reale, as part of his urbanistic projects in the city centre. For the Villa Reale, (1776 onwards), successive changes adapted the original pleasure villa to a seat of court. In 1779 Piermarini was officially named architect of the Imperial Kingdom, a position he had occupied in fact for several years.
Of his opera house, successive internal reconstructions have altered the interior so that only Piermarini's general plan is still recognizable, and his façade.
Piermarini's lesser works in Milan include Palazzo Greppi (1772-78) and
Palazzo Belgioioso (1772-81). At Parabiago
, his friend the successful cabinetmaker Giuseppe Maggiolini
commissioned him to erect a new façade for the Chiesa Prepositurale dei Santi Gervasio e Protasio (1780).
In 1798 he returned to his native Foligno, where he effected some changes in the Duomo and prepared a project for the Cappella del Sacramento in the church of San Lorenzo at Spello
. He died in Foligno in 1808.
Luigi Vanvitelli
Luigi Vanvitelli was an Italian engineer and architect. The most prominent 18th-century architect of Italy, he practiced a sober classicizing academic Late Baroque style that made an easy transition to Neoclassicism.-Biography:Vanvitelli was born at Naples, the son of a Dutch painter of land and...
at Rome and designed the Teatro alla Scala, Milan (1776-78), which remains the work by which he is remembered. Indeed, "il Piermarini" serves as an occasional euphemism for the celebrated opera house. Piermarini was appointed professor in the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera, better known as Brera Academy
Brera Academy
The Academy of Fine Arts of Brera, also known as Brera Academy is a public academic institution located in Milan, Italy. It was founded in 1776 by HIM Maria Theresa of Austria.- Overview :...
, Milan, when it was formally founded in 1776.
Piermarini was born at Foligno
Foligno
Foligno is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river where it leaves the Apennines and enters the wide plain of the Clitunno river system...
, then part of the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
. He was Vanvitelli's collaborator at Caserta
Caserta
Caserta is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial comune and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range...
, 1765-1769, when he removed to Milan. From his Milan base he reorganized the University of Pavia
University of Pavia
The University of Pavia is a university located in Pavia, Lombardy, Italy. It was founded in 1361 and is organized in 9 Faculties.-History:...
(1770) and the palazzo for the Accademia di Scienze e Belle Lettere, or Accademia Virgiliana, at Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
(1773).
With the Habsburg decision permanently to install an archduke at Milan, Piermarini was commissioned to reconstruct the ducal palace adjoining the cathedral as an appropriate city residence and to construct a wholly new country seat near Monza
Monza
Monza is a city and comune on the river Lambro, a tributary of the Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy some 15 km north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.On June...
.
For the archducal residence in Milan, Piermarini successfully avoided competition with the rich Gothic front of the cathedral with his sober neoclassical façade (1773-80) and created the Piazzetta Reale, as part of his urbanistic projects in the city centre. For the Villa Reale, (1776 onwards), successive changes adapted the original pleasure villa to a seat of court. In 1779 Piermarini was officially named architect of the Imperial Kingdom, a position he had occupied in fact for several years.
Of his opera house, successive internal reconstructions have altered the interior so that only Piermarini's general plan is still recognizable, and his façade.
Piermarini's lesser works in Milan include Palazzo Greppi (1772-78) and
Palazzo Belgioioso (1772-81). At Parabiago
Parabiago
Parabiago is a town located in the north-western part of the Province of Milan, Italy.The town is crossed by the road to Sempione and MilanGallarate Railway; nearby flow the Olona river and the Canale Villoresi....
, his friend the successful cabinetmaker Giuseppe Maggiolini
Giuseppe Maggiolini
Giuseppe Maggiolini , himself a marquetry-maker , was the pre-eminent cabinet-maker in Milan in the later 18th century...
commissioned him to erect a new façade for the Chiesa Prepositurale dei Santi Gervasio e Protasio (1780).
In 1798 he returned to his native Foligno, where he effected some changes in the Duomo and prepared a project for the Cappella del Sacramento in the church of San Lorenzo at Spello
Spello
Spello is an ancient town and comune of Italy, in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the lower southern flank of Mt. Subasio. It is 6 km NNW of Foligno and 10 km SSE of Assisi.The old walled town lies on a regularly NW-SE sloping ridge that eventually meets the plain...
. He died in Foligno in 1808.