Villa Margon: The Renaissance in Trento

The history and art of one of the most important suburban aristocratic residences of the 16th century, among the oldest and most beautiful in the Alps

Illustrated by spectacular images, which are the result of a special photographic campaign conducted by Massimo Listri, this volume documents the architecture and rich artistic treasures of the famous residence, which is the only example in the Trentino region of a suburban villa from the Council period of the mid-16th century characterized by a portico and loggia arrangement, typical of Veronese architecture of the time. Inside the villa, Italian, Flemish, and German artists created frescoed decorations of the highest quality, including the cycle of 12 frescoes dedicated to the victories of Charles V, those depicting episodes from the Old and New Testaments, and those depicting the 12 months of the year.

Alongside these extraordinary frescos, the book presents sculptures and furniture, mainly from the Flemish and German area, and wooden metopes painted with grotesques and male and female portraits that can be traced back to specialists in this type of decoration, influenced by the engraving art of the time.

About the Authors:

Michelangelo Lupo (1948), an architect specializing in art history, was director of the Museo del Castello del Buonconsiglio in Trento from 1978 to 1984. He then went freelance and worked for long periods in the field of architectural restoration in Egypt, Libya, Jordan and Algeria.

Massimo Listri (1953), the master of architectural and environmental photography, has published over seventy books with the most prestigious publishers in Europe and the United States.