Lorenzo Mongiardino

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Lorenzo Mongiardino (1996)
Lorenzo Mongiardino with Lila De Nobili in the early 1970s

Lorenzo (Renzo) Mongiardino (* 12. May 1916 in Genoa , † 16th January 1998 in Milan ) was an Italian interior designer , stage and Production Designer .

Live and act

Lorenzo Mongiardino was born in Genoa in 1916 as the son of the theater impresario and millionaire Giuseppe Mongiardino and his wife Laura Queiorolo. According to his own account, his interest in architecture was aroused when he entered his family's new residence, an 18th-century palace in Genoa, at the age of twelve. At the request of his parents, however, he initially studied law, but after a few failed exams he began successfully studying architecture in Milan instead. His first practical work in this profession was his sister's house.

After the Second World War, Mongiardino began working as a set designer at the theater. He has worked at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, among others . One of the most famous performances in which he was involved is Franco Zeffirelli's production Tosca at the Royal Opera House with Maria Callas in the lead role (1964). Mongiardino also worked several times in the film industry as a production designer with director Franco Zeffirelli. He was twice nominated for an Oscar in the category of best production design : in 1968 for his work in the literary adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew and in 1974 in the historical film Brother Sun, Sister Moon .

In the mid-1950s, Mongiardino furnished a friend's apartment. This began his career as an interior designer, which ultimately brought him more success than his work in theater and film. Mongiardino became Italy's leading classic interior designer. His success was mainly based on the atmosphere he created with his decorations, not on their authenticity. He became known for his opulent, dramatic-romantic interiors, for which he often used brocade fabric , (false) marble, neoclassical stucco work and neo- Mannerist frescoes . Despite their historical reference, his decorations were often not authentic, but rather illusions created by skillful painting ( trompe-l'œil ). Mongiardino employed an extensive team (e.g. Lila De Nobili ) who supported him with both the stage design and the interior design. He worked for wealthy European and American families such as Brandolini, Rothschild and Agnellis. Among other things, he decorated a palace in Milan on behalf of Gianni Versace together with his assistant Fiorenzo Cattaneo. For the Tiffany jewelry designer Elsa Peretti, he designed a medieval tower in Porto Ercole next to her apartment (1985). This work by Mongiardino became known, among other things, for its fireplace in the shape of the head of a monster. His last work included design drafts for the restoration of the Teatro La Fenice, which burned down in 1996 .

In 1993 Mongiardino published his memoir under the title Roomscapes at Rizzoli . Mongiardino developed pneumonia and other illnesses after an operation in November 1997 during which a pacemaker was implanted in him , which eventually led to his death in January 1998. He died in Milan at the age of 81. He left a daughter.

Publications

literature

  • Laure Verchère: Renzo Mongiardino, Renaissance master of style. Assouline, New York 2013, ISBN 978-1-61428-102-3 .

Interior design (selection)

Theater (selection)

Filmography

Web links

Commons : Lorenzo Mongiardino  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Mitchell Owens: Renzo Mongiardino Dies at 81; Designer With Flair for Illusion. In: The New York Times , February 2, 1998. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  2. ^ The 46th Academy Awards 1974 oscars.org. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  3. ↑ Lee Marshall: Obituary: Renzo Mongiardino. In: The Independent . February 12, 1998. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  4. ^ Mitchell Owens: Renzo Mongiardino. Italy's grand illusionist raised atmosphere to an art form. In: Architectural Digest . January 2000. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  5. ^ Lorenzo Mongiardino. In: Dominic Bradbury: Style Interior Design. 100 legendary institutions of the 20th and 21st centuries. ( Memento of the original from February 22, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Munich 2012, ISBN 978-3-421-03897-5 , p. 22. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.randomhouse.de
  6. ↑ Tosca (1964) rohcollections.org.uk. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
personal data
SURNAME Mongiardino, Lorenzo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mongiardino, Renzo
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian interior designer, stage and production designer
DATE OF BIRTH May 12, 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH Genoa
DATE OF DEATH January 16, 1998
Place of death Milan