The projects of Francesco Maria Preti (1701- 1774), the most experienced and interesting Veneto architect of the eighteenth century. The exhibition in several locations in Castelfranco Veneto – Carlo Franza’s blog

Entire walls covered with mirrors they refract and multiplyin an enchanted vision, i Projects by Francesco Maria Preti (1701- 1774), The most experienced and interesting Veneto architect of the eighteenth century, they must Some of the main buildings of the historic center of Castelfranco Veneto (TV) Ancient city walled, but also the project of Villa Pisani in Stra and other innovative interventions throughout the region. 48 square meters, scenographic and kaleidoscopic, in which to get lost and immerse yourself – perfect set for selfies and souvenir shots – set up at the entrance of One of the constructions that distinguished him most: the academic theater of Castelfranco, the city of Giorgione but also native country of the erudite, enlightened priests, of which they are celebrated on 23 December last 250 years from death.

Trained in Jesuit college of BresciaFrancesco Maria, trendy man, elegant and refinedhad studied rhetoric, humanity, grammar, philosophy, logic, metaphysics, moral, physics and mathematics; But also Latin and French. His interests ranged from Numismatic and cosmology at the Ancient and contemporary literature. He played the Spinetta and the harpsichord knowing the laws of harmony in music; composed sonnets and poems and kept relationships as well as with others Castellani intellectuals also with various exponents of the cultural world of time – Tommaso Temanza, Father Vallotti, Giuseppe Tartini – and with members of‘Venetian aristocracy as The Pisans of Santo Stefano and the corner of San Polo.

Many also the institutional positions carried out for his city by this extraordinary Intellectual, who was “architect for pleasure”, but .. what an architect! Castelfranco Veneto could not forget the anniversary linked to him, and to celebrate him, In the context of the eighteenth -century culture of the Venetian mainland and of the flourishing village, is one precious exhibition up to to April 6, 2025, which It winds from the Casa Giorgione Museum to the historical entrance of the Academic Theater, up to Palazzo Soranzo Novello.

An exhibition dedicated in particular to that intellectual cenaclethat crucible of Ideas, debates, projects, explosion of thoughts and innovations, which animated the eighteenth century in the Venetian town thanks to some noteworthy personalitiesI, like Giovanni Rizzetti (1675 – 1751) which first applied the proportional harmonic average, Jacopo Riccati (1709 – 1790) Extraordinary mathematician and initiator of the so -called Riccatian school (His and Vincenzo the elaboration of the still current e studied “Controtian equation”) the children of this – Vincenzo (1707 – 1775) e Giordano Riccati (1709 – 1790) – and precisely Francesco Maria Preti their peer e Fil Rouge of all exposure. To a subsequent generation they will then belong Francesco Riccati and Luigi Rizzetti.

“Scholars and libertines. The eighteenth century in the city of Giorgione“-promoted by the Municipality of Castelfranco Veneto-Councilor for Culture and Civic Museums, with the contribution of the Veneto Region and the patronage of the Province of Treviso and with many important partners and supporters, Curated by Danila Dal Pos (in Scientific Committee: Paolo Barbisan, Andrea Bellieni, Lavinia Colonna Preti, Stefania Colonna Preti, Fabrizio Malachin, Moira Mascotto), It therefore brings us back to that time of maximum splendor, the climax before the crisis linked to the collapse of the Serenissima and an oligarchy now in decline, in a suggestive plot of Evocative cultural references and works (paintings, drawings, sculptures), historical documents (maps, letters, volumes), beautiful artifacts (ceramics, silver, musical instruments, liturgical objects), furnishings and costumes of the time: between social life and intellectual reflections, official assignments and pleasures, studies and free time, Technical-scientific innovations, fashions and frivolities.

In a multiplicity of erudite disciplines and interests – Mathematics, physics, engineering and hydraulic, music, astronomy, medicine, optics, architecture, but also arts and literature – The research and reflections of this group of scholars follow the news and debates of the time, At the same time reconnecting to the tradition of Venetian culture, which from the sixteenth century will bring to the full nineteenth century.

So if installation in the academic theater constitute a focus on priests and projects – from that of Cathedral of Castelfranco to the ideation of the “Palazzo with nine courtyards”basic unit of one new structure of the company that in fact anticipates the proposals of Fourier by half a century dethe early 19th century – In the other two offices of the exhibition The journey involves many and different aspects of the culture and society of the eighteenth century.

The path – The themes. Al Giorgione Casa Museum the Rizzetti theories on the perception of color –Pretesignane to those of Goethe and in courageous and free opposition to the Newtonian theseswelcomed throughout Europe with subjection and reverence – lead to remembering the Color theme typical of Venetian art since the Byzantine roots: Giorgioneinfluenced by millennial currents of the time, it will become At the beginning of the sixteenth century the most innovative interpretermaking it the central color and natural data in his works; While Canova, two centuries later, will use it in its sculptures to make “Real meat” goddesses and heroines like the Penitent Maddalenaremembered by the beautiful plaster of the Gipsoteca di Possagno exposed on the occasion.

Likewise, reconnecting to the iconographic references of Giorgionesco Frieze of the liberal and mechanical artsthe exhibition, Between ancient documents, sculptures and toolswill take into account the studies of arithmetic, geometry and astronomy Of Jacopo Riccati and son Vincenzoincluding the current anchor “Controtian equation”, and their interests for the hydraulic, religion and letters; but also of the Mathematics and Medicine searches conducted by Giordano Riccati – violin virtuoso, harpsichord and other tools, attracted by problems of acoustic and musical theory – and of Antonio Galletti, who is interested in music therapy.

Therefore, always in the environments of the house museum: the innovative postal system of the time, with Examples of letters, addresses and stamps of the eighteenth centurywhere epistolary correspondence become i better means of Cultural exchange, update between scholars and of diffusion of ideas; The Collecting in Castelfranco in the eighteenth century, remembering in particular The Canovian collection of Gessi by Francesco Barbisanexponent of a Castellana family of new rich; The taste and luxury of religious artifacts, with some splendid specimens of the time from the churches of the territorywork of extraordinary goldsmith masters of the time; In the end the lit Discussion “on the best shape to be given to theaters”, which is recorded in Castelfranco In the mid -eighteenth century, just when Francesco Maria Preti begins the design of the academic theater (1745) – thirty years before the Milan scale and forty -six before the Phoenix – together with the “four -wheeled floats” with lots of Carriage model from the Poleni Museum.
The splendid building facing the civic tower, Built already during the fourteenth century by the powerful family of the Soranzo, passed to the novels in the eighteenth century and probably renovated by Francesco Maria himself himself (Palazzo Soranzo Novello) welcomes the sections of the exhibition than more invite to relive the costumes of the timerecalling fashions, The tastes and domestic and social life in a walled city oflagoon hinterland Like Castelfranco, “Scala and door very popular with ‘Monti with the sea”.

So i different environments, with their different decorations and atmospheres and the works and artifacts on display, coming from the civic collections, from museums and important private collections – Venetian consolles, furniture and sofas Louis XV, ceramics of the most important factories of the time Cozzi, Antonibon, Rossi-Roberti, etc., silver and glass of Murano, clothes, European manufacturing accessories, portraits of the Riccati family and the same architect Preti, but also paintings of the great artists of the eighteenth century such as Diziani, Sebastiano Ricci, Nogari, Amigoni, Career, Career, Career, Career, Career, Career, Career, Beautiful, cimaroli etc.. – they lend themselves to reminding the Activities and rites of a Palazzo del Tempoalbeit of Mainlandstimulating all the senses.

The sumptuous Salone on the main floor is therefore the great Sala degli mirchi, True triumph of light, used for the convivio, the dance and also to the games; While The architect’s studywith the desk, The works of the best westernists present on the mainland, the portraits and the eighteenth -century Camisiolebrings us back to figure of priest, Remembering in particular the His project for the “Alla Paradiso” complex of the Corner family: an intervention never made, but that would have enhanced the extraordinary baroque garden of the building who was already capable of Direct the Grand Tour of the time on Castelfrancoas evidenced by the “Diary” of the Russian traveler Piotr A. Tolstoyin Italy between 1697 and 1699.

Even remarkable The collection of glasses exhibited here to remember that Priests over the years suffered from a serious weakening of the viewsas well as gout.

Showing refinements and decorations to the easttypical of the Rococo taste, instead connotes the room dedicated to Boudoir, The living room of the ladies: enriched by eighteenth -century furniture and paintings, by a superb selection of necessary, Porta in, Chalaine, Boccette brings perfumes and anything else, Loisted by the Foundation who came Ometto di Torinoand from a fascinating wedding dress.

And finally Music, music and music. A Music room from the decorations elegant, refined but also vaguely male And Vintage furnishings and tools – one Contralto Viola from Venetian school probably from the shop of the Seraphin (1779), a very refined lute to mandolin dated 1753 and a curious Violin probably built in Carnia on a model of a purple of love – for enhance a passion Widespread in these environments, in the evenings of agi and meetings, between … scholars and libertines.

Carlo Franza