Debarbieri Memorial, 1918
Work began March 13, 2017 and was completed in August, 2017 on Luigi Brizzolara\’s dynamic Art Nouveau masterpiece.
Luigi Brizzolara’s Debarbieri Pozzo memorial from 1918 is a dramatic Art Nouveau work, influenced by the sculpture of Rodin and Bistolfi.
The woman’s gown swirls around her as if in the midst of a cyclone, and rises up to mix with smoke as it surrounds the bust of the deceased Alfredo. Heavy layers of dirt encrusted the work, obscuring it, so it was very hard not just to discern the details but even to appreciate the overall composition. With restoration this piece came alive, and the artist’s full dramatic intent is again revealed.
Brizzolara is known for his blend of realism and organic naturalism in dramatic, flowing sculptures. His earlier works tended more towards realism, and later in his career he moved into the Liberty (Italian Art Nouveau) and Symbolist styles.
Flanking this monumental work are two smaller gems, the 1891 Maina memorial sculpted by Lorenzo Orengo and Giovanni Battista Villa’s 1882 memorial to Luigi Bodoana. We are restoring both of those, completing this beautiful tableau.