From the centre of Abano, in direction of Padua, Villa Moro Malipiero appears high and mighty, which is now property of Counts Rigoni Savioli.
Villa Rigoni Savioli is a Venetian villa commissioned by Nicholas Malipiero in 1557.
Villa Rigoni Savioli is a Venetian villa commissioned by Nicholas Malipiero in 1557.
The facade consists of four Ionic half-columns supporting a large pediment; the staircase, flanked by two statues made of Costozza’s white stone, such as those found on the three gates, leads into the principal room of the main floor or “noble floor” (piano nobile). On the ground floor there is a splendid cap vaulted cellar.
The grand ball room, which once occupied both floors of the central part of the house, was divided after the French Revolution leaving the top half intact, while the bottom was divided into five portions.
The grand ball room, which once occupied both floors of the central part of the house, was divided after the French Revolution leaving the top half intact, while the bottom was divided into five portions.
The villa is surrounded by a garden and three orchards. It is provided with various barns and a dovecote tower or “Colombara tower”. In the back orchard there is a thermal water well, which was damaged during the last war. Another architectural jewel on the estate is a still consecrated chapel.
The paintings evoke scenes from the Bible like David and Goliath, Moses, as well as the chivalrous epic of Angelica and Rinaldo; symbolic scenes as Envy, Fortitude and mythological as the fall of Phaeton. Everything is framed by stuccos and monochrome figures.The interior is beautifully preserved and carefully guarded. Many of the rooms contain frescoes by Gian Battista Zelotti, a pupil of Veronese.
The paintings evoke scenes from the Bible like David and Goliath, Moses, as well as the chivalrous epic of Angelica and Rinaldo; symbolic scenes as Envy, Fortitude and mythological as the fall of Phaeton. Everything is framed by stuccos and monochrome figures.The interior is beautifully preserved and carefully guarded. Many of the rooms contain frescoes by Gian Battista Zelotti, a pupil of Veronese.
 | The scagliola and marble fireplace and the fresco of a young Page offering a bouquet of flowers around a doorway are also very nice. The original Palladiana flooring was made with one single casting. Inside the villa there is a vast archive of documents of the area. As said before, the frescoes were painted by Giovan Battista Zelotti, an artist born in Verona in 1526. He served his apprenticeship in the workshop of Antonio Badile together with Paolo Veronese. With Veronese he realized his first artworks (the frescoes of Villa Soranzo in Treville and some ceilings at the Ducal Palace in Venice). Zelotti, whose paintings were in perfect harmony with the ideals that guided the Palladian design, was one of the most loyal collaborator of the architect of Vicenza. We find his works in Lonedo (Villa Godi), in Pojana Maggiore (Villa Pojana - atrium and barrel vaulted room), in Mira (la Malcontenta), in Fanzolo (Villa Emo) and in Caldogno (Villa Caldogno). |
The main feature of Zelotti’s frescoes is the taste for illusion: the walls are marked by architectural elements that frame different landscapes where take place episodes of ancient history, mythological scenes and everyday life pictures. The scenic illusion allows exceeding the limit of the walls and spacing in nature, emphasizing the harmonious relationship with the landscape.
Zelotti painted other important decorative cycles, including the now-lost frescoes of the façade of the Palazzo del Monte di Pietà in Vicenza and those of the Castello del Catajo in Battaglia Terme. He died in Mantua in 1578.
Zelotti painted other important decorative cycles, including the now-lost frescoes of the façade of the Palazzo del Monte di Pietà in Vicenza and those of the Castello del Catajo in Battaglia Terme. He died in Mantua in 1578.
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