The Marvelous Frescoes of the Tiepolos
When Art Becomes Emotion Turning into a Dialogue Between Generations:
They share, with few exceptions, the two houses: the father takes the Palazzina and the son the Foresteria; sometimes they find themselves working together when the theme requires it. In the Furious Roland room (Palazzina) the two protagonists, Angelica and Medoro, are by Giambattista while the two peasants by Giandomenico; in the Carnival room (Foresteria) the trompe l’oeil of the son are interrupted by the figure of Ali, the Moor, so elegantly dressed that he could only be the work of the father.
Giambattista represents the great Baroque, with frescoes inspired by the classics cherished by the client – large pink skies, gods, myths, magnificent scantily clad heroines; Giandomenico is already the son of those values linked to the Enlightenment: nature, rationality, man at the center of the universe. And so he paints farmers and green spaces, the Carnival and a New World that comes from the sea. The Encyclopédie has already been published and the American and French Revolutions are at the door.
Art Is Timeless. It Is Emotion Resting on the Pillows of Eternity.
Giambattista Tiepolo
Giambattista Tiepolo (1696–1770) was one of the greatest artists of the 18th century, admired across Europe. His works, including frescoes, altarpieces, ceilings and mythological scenes, decorate important churches and palaces, from all over Northern Italy.
In 1750, he worked in Würzburg with his sons, creating frescoes for the Kaisersaal and grand staircase. Soon after, the Valmarana family asked him to paint the frescoes for their villa in San Bastiano.
In 1762, Tiepolo moved to Madrid, where he decorated the Royal Palace for King Charles III, leaving his artistic legacy until the end of his life.
Giandomenico Tiepolo
Giandomenico Tiepolo (1727–1804), son of Giambattista and Cecilia Guardi, inherited his father’s artistic talent and the creativity of the Guardi family. Learning from his father, he contributed to many of Giambattista’s grand frescoes, while developing his own unique visual and thematic style.
His most significant work, showcasing his distinctive personality, is undoubtedly the fresco cycle in the Foresteria of Villa Valmarana. Here, with sharp irony and forward looking, he captured the Venetian society of his time.
The Palazzina - The mail house
The Palazzina becomes a breathtaking stage, where each room tells an epic story of timeless emotions: love, sacrifice, inner conflict, and destiny intertwine in frescoes of extraordinary intensity. Its walls, rich with vivid and symbolic details, transform myths, literature, and history into a captivating and immersive visual experience.
Every scene, imbued with strength and beauty, is not just a depiction but an emotional and intellectual journey that fascinates and draws in the visitor. In this space, the Palazzina does more than recount tales of heroes and passions—it revives the values and sentiments of the 18th century, creating a timeless dialogue between earth and sky, where imagination merges seamlessly with reality.
The Foresteria - The Guesthouse
The Foresteria, an authentic narrative masterpiece, encapsulates the art of Giandomenico Tiepolo in a journey through cultures, social classes, seasons, and imagination. Across its seven frescoed rooms, every wall tells stories that range from the exotic allure of Chinoiserie to the everyday life of Venetian peasants, from elegant promenades to the mysteries of Carnival.
Each room holds a unique identity: from the mythological ambiance of the Sala degli Dei, the sole contributions of his father Giambattista, to Giandomenico’s lively irony, evident in grotesque yet tenderly human details. The entire cycle is a fresco of 18th-century society, blending the real world with dreams and fantasy. It transports visitors into a universe that alternates between the sublime and the everyday, irony and poetry.
