Giuseppe Maggiolini
Encyclopedia
Giuseppe Maggiolini himself a marquetry
-maker (intarsiatore), was the pre-eminent cabinet-maker (ebanista) in Milan
in the later 18th century. Though some of his early work is Late Baroque
in manner, his name is particularly associated with blocky neoclassical
forms veneered with richly detailed marquetry vignettes, often within complicated borders. His workshop's output is somewhat repetitive, making attributions to Maggiolini a temptation. His clientele reached to Austria and Poland.
Born in Parabiago
, near Milan, he was the son of Gilardo Maggiolini, a forester in the service of the Cistercian monastery of Sant'Ambrogio della Vittoria, and after apprenticeship in a woodworking shop he opened his own bottega in the town's central piazza, which today bears his name. In 1757 he married Antonia Vignati, from Villastanza; they had a single son, Francesco, born the following year.
The painter Giuseppe Levati
consigned to Maggiolini work for marchese Pompeo Litta at Villa Litta, Lainate
, near Milan, to Levati's designs, with unexpectedly fine results. Maggiolini was invited to collaborate on designs for the wedding of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria
, the Habsburg governor of Lombardy
, with Maria Beatrice d'Este, initiating Maggiolini's work for the Habsburgs, rulers of Lombardy, for which he opened a second workshop, in Milan. In 1771 Maggiolini produced the marquetry flooring in the Palazzo di Corte in Milan, being rebuilt under the direction of Giuseppe Piermarini
, which put Maggiolini in contact with a wider circle of artists and designers: the painter Andrea Appiani
and the architect Giocondo Albertolli
. In 1777 he produced marquetry floors and furniture for the royal villa near Monza
. Named intarsiatore to the Habsburg granducal court, by 1780 Maggiolini in his turn was able to commission from Piermarini a new façade for the Church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio in his natal Parabiago, and from Albertolli its internal redecoration.
Maggiolini's characteristic furniture consists of commode
s and chests, coffers and writing-desks and tables, inlaid with a wide variety of European woods and exotic woods imported from abroad, used in their natural colors or tinted green, like blue or rose. Cartoons for execution in marquetry were provided by artists such as Levati and Appiani, and panels of pictorial marquetry were produced purely for displays as tours de force.
With the introduction of the more severe Empire style, featuring sober mahogany relieved by gilt-bronze mounts, and the flight of his patron the Archduke in 1796, Maggiolini was forced to retrench. In 1806, however, on extremely short notice, he was commissioned to produce a writing table in connection with Napoleon's coronation in Milan; this brought a resurgence of commissions, this time from Prince Eugène de Beauharnais
and other Bonapartes, but in 1809 Maggiolini withdrew into retirement, as antipathy to the Napoleonic system and all connected with it increased in Milan.
Drawings from the workshop, which was continued by his son Carlo Francesco in partnership with Cherubino Mezzanganica (died 1866), are in the Fondo Maggioliniano, Castello Sforzesco
, Milan. They continue to permit new attributions, such as the late 18th-century table acquired by the Getty Museum.
Marquetry
Marquetry is the art and craft of applying pieces of veneer to a structure to form decorative patterns, designs or pictures. The technique may be applied to case furniture or even seat furniture, to decorative small objects with smooth, veneerable surfaces or to freestanding pictorial panels...
-maker (intarsiatore), was the pre-eminent cabinet-maker (ebanista) in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in the later 18th century. Though some of his early work is Late Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
in manner, his name is particularly associated with blocky neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
forms veneered with richly detailed marquetry vignettes, often within complicated borders. His workshop's output is somewhat repetitive, making attributions to Maggiolini a temptation. His clientele reached to Austria and Poland.
Born in Parabiago
Parabiago
Parabiago is a town located in the north-western part of the Province of Milan, Italy.The town is crossed by the road to Sempione and MilanGallarate Railway; nearby flow the Olona river and the Canale Villoresi....
, near Milan, he was the son of Gilardo Maggiolini, a forester in the service of the Cistercian monastery of Sant'Ambrogio della Vittoria, and after apprenticeship in a woodworking shop he opened his own bottega in the town's central piazza, which today bears his name. In 1757 he married Antonia Vignati, from Villastanza; they had a single son, Francesco, born the following year.
The painter Giuseppe Levati
Giuseppe Levati
Giuseppe Levati was an Italian painter and designer of the late-Baroque and Neoclassicism period.He was born at Concorezzo, near Milan. After initially working as a decorator, he specialized as an architectural landscape painter, attracted especially the perspectives of Bárbaro and Giampietro...
consigned to Maggiolini work for marchese Pompeo Litta at Villa Litta, Lainate
Lainate
Lainate is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 15 km northwest of Milan. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 24,146 and an area of 12.9 km²....
, near Milan, to Levati's designs, with unexpectedly fine results. Maggiolini was invited to collaborate on designs for the wedding of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria
Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este
Archduke Ferdinand Karl Anton Joseph Johann Stanislaus of Austria-Este was a son of Holy Roman Emperor Franz I and Maria Theresa of Austria. He was the founder of the House of Austria-Este and Governor of the Duchy of Milan between 1765 and 1796...
, the Habsburg governor of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, with Maria Beatrice d'Este, initiating Maggiolini's work for the Habsburgs, rulers of Lombardy, for which he opened a second workshop, in Milan. In 1771 Maggiolini produced the marquetry flooring in the Palazzo di Corte in Milan, being rebuilt under the direction of Giuseppe Piermarini
Giuseppe Piermarini
Giuseppe Piermarini was an Italian architect who trained with Luigi Vanvitelli at Rome and designed the Teatro alla Scala, Milan , which remains the work by which he is remembered. Indeed, "il Piermarini" serves as an occasional euphemism for the celebrated opera house...
, which put Maggiolini in contact with a wider circle of artists and designers: the painter Andrea Appiani
Andrea Appiani
Andrea Appiani was an Italian neoclassical painter.-Biography:He was born in Milan. He had been intended to follow his father's career in medicine but instead entered the private academy of the painter Carlo Maria Giudici . He received instruction in drawing, copying mainly from sculpture and prints...
and the architect Giocondo Albertolli
Giocondo Albertolli
Giocondo Albertolli was a Swiss-born architect, painter, and sculptor who was active in Italy during the Neoclassical period....
. In 1777 he produced marquetry floors and furniture for the royal villa near Monza
Monza
Monza is a city and comune on the river Lambro, a tributary of the Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy some 15 km north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.On June...
. Named intarsiatore to the Habsburg granducal court, by 1780 Maggiolini in his turn was able to commission from Piermarini a new façade for the Church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio in his natal Parabiago, and from Albertolli its internal redecoration.
Maggiolini's characteristic furniture consists of commode
Commode
A commode, commode with legs, or commode on legs is any of several pieces of furniture. The word commode comes from the French word for "convenient" or "suitable", which in turn comes from the Latin adjective commodus, with similar meanings.Originally, in French furniture, a commode introduced...
s and chests, coffers and writing-desks and tables, inlaid with a wide variety of European woods and exotic woods imported from abroad, used in their natural colors or tinted green, like blue or rose. Cartoons for execution in marquetry were provided by artists such as Levati and Appiani, and panels of pictorial marquetry were produced purely for displays as tours de force.
With the introduction of the more severe Empire style, featuring sober mahogany relieved by gilt-bronze mounts, and the flight of his patron the Archduke in 1796, Maggiolini was forced to retrench. In 1806, however, on extremely short notice, he was commissioned to produce a writing table in connection with Napoleon's coronation in Milan; this brought a resurgence of commissions, this time from Prince Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène Rose de Beauharnais, Prince Français, Prince of Venice, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy, Hereditary Grand Duke of Frankfurt, 1st Duke of Leuchtenberg and 1st Prince of Eichstätt ad personam was the first child and only son of Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais and Joséphine Tascher de la...
and other Bonapartes, but in 1809 Maggiolini withdrew into retirement, as antipathy to the Napoleonic system and all connected with it increased in Milan.
Drawings from the workshop, which was continued by his son Carlo Francesco in partnership with Cherubino Mezzanganica (died 1866), are in the Fondo Maggioliniano, Castello Sforzesco
Castello Sforzesco
Castello Sforzesco is a castle in Milan, Italy, that used to be the seat and residence of the Duchy of Milan and one of the biggest citadels in Europe and now houses several of the city's museums and art collections.-History:...
, Milan. They continue to permit new attributions, such as the late 18th-century table acquired by the Getty Museum.