Villa Bernasconi in Cernobbio: Questions of Authenticity in the Process of Conservation and Valorization

Abstract

The villa commissioned by silk industrialist Davide Bernasconi in Cernobbio stands as one of the main examples of Art Nouveau style on Lake Como.

From a historical-critical and attributive standpoint, due to the lack of documentation and research related to the design of the decorative apparatus and to the craftsmen involved in its realization, as well as studies related to the original image of the interiors, since all furnishings have been lost, our documentary research has wide margins yet to be explored. Through an analysis conducted on archival and bibliographical sources, the first part of the essay examines little-explored aspects related to the artistic and craftsmanship-related contributions used as part of the realization of the villa.

Some issues related to the process of conservation and enhancement of the cultural heritage site are subsequently dealt with by illustrating the restoration works carried out in recent decades and the activities undertaken to improve the public use of the villa following its acquisition by the Municipality of Cernobbio. Thus, and on the one hand, a methodological evaluation of the restoration interventions was developed, and, on the other hand, the role of Villa Bernasconi was analysed within the spectrum of some broader territorial planning.

Assuming that the Art-Nouveau Gesamtkunstwerk should inevitably guide any restoration that respects both architectural history and constituent principles of a building, the case of Villa Bernasconi ultimately calls for some reflection on both the Turin Declaration and the need to define a set of specific criteria aimed at the preservation of Art Nouveau architectural heritage.