Fantini Mosaici in Milan: unmissable places among art, culture and history
Milan’s charm is often hidden in the details.
Discovering the works created in the city by Fantini Mosaici starting from the early years of the twentieth century, means following an itinerary that winds through Milan in a perfect union between mosaic art and architecture: from the mosaics of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to the legendary Sala delle Cariatidi of Palazzo Reale. Each place expresses Italian craftsmanship and the beauty of surfaces enriched with mosaic, seeded or pebble work.
For over a century Fantini Mosaici has developed major projects, participating with passion and great professionalism in the definition of the Milanese architectural heritage.
A new stage will be added to this exceptional tour at the end of 2024 with the inauguration of Fantini Mosaici showroom located in Foro Buonaparte. A special space designed to welcome art initiatives.
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
Since its construction, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II has played an important role in the Milanese society. "Il Salotto di Milano", nestled between Duomo and Teatro alla Scala, is today one of the most instagrammed tourist destinations. The expert craftsmen of Fantini Mosaici have contributed over the years to the creation and maintenance of its mosaic flooring in noble materials.
Palazzina Appiani
Commissioned by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, Palazzina Appiani was initially designed in the early 19th century as a summer residence and exclusive gallery overlooking the Arena Civica. The project was then entrusted to the architect Luigi Canonica, who designed numerous mosaics and frescoes realized as the neoclassical painter Andrea Appiani from whom the Palazzina takes its name.
Decades later, the artisans of Fantini Mosaici participated in an important conservation program to recover this jewel, considered one of the few remaining buildings as evidence of Napoleon's grandiose plans for Milan.
Teatro alla Scala
Classic motifs, geometric decorations and a rich color palette characterize the Venetian mosaic floor of the entrance foyer created by Fantini Mosaici in the porticoes of Teatro alla Scala, designed by the architect Giuseppe Piermarini and inaugurated in 1778.
Triennale Milano
Home to the Triennale Design Museum, the first design museum created in Italy, the Palazzo dell'Arte in Milan was designed by architect Giovanni Muzio in the early 1930s. The foyer
welcomes visitors with a spectacular mosaic depicting "La Cavalcata delle Amazzoni” (The Ride of the Amazons).
Fantini Mosaici collaborated in the creation of the large mosaic by Leonor Fini and Achille Funi and of other works of mosaic art placed on the walls. The great skills of the company’s craftsmen made this masterpiece unique.
GAM Galleria d’Arte Moderna
The Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Milan, with a collection of Italian and European art from the 18th to the 20th century, is a point of reference for art enthusiasts.
Originally called Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte or Villa Reale, this neoclassical home was designed by architect Leopoldo Pollack in 1700 and was Napoleon Bonaparte's summer residence before being transformed into a gallery in the 1920s.
In the mid-1980s the Milanese architecture firm Studio Albini, Helg, Piva was commissioned to renovate and rebuild the villa, focusing on the first floor damaged during the Second World War. Thanks to its experience and in-depth knowledge of the techniques, Fantini Mosaici was selected to intervene in the restoration of the Venetian terrazzo floors of the Sala del Parnaso and the adjacent rooms.
Palazzo delle Stelline
Palazzo delle Stelline, a place inextricably linked to Milanese history and culture, hides a flooring work designed by the artist Augusto "Bobo" Piccoli in 1973.
Under the supervision of architect Jan Battistoni, in 2015 Fantini Mosaici undertook a significant renovation of the terrazzo floors of the quadriportico on the ground floor and on the upper floors, managing to translate the narrative and the sequence of forms while keeping the technique, the vision and the bold character of the author's design who was able to transform the space giving it new life and a contemporary allure.
Ca’ Brutta
Revolutionary and at the same time controversial project by architect Giovanni Muzio, the “Casa Brutta” (Ugly home) is considered the architectural manifesto of the "Novecento" movement. The housing complex built in the 1920s on the corner between Piazza Stati Uniti d'America and Via Turati, takes its name from the harsh criticism aroused at the time of its construction.
From the beginning of the works, Fantini Mosaici was commissioned to create the mosaic floors embellished with geometries in the monochromatic shades of black, gray and white.
Fondazione Prada
For the Milan headquarters of Fondazione Prada, a cultural institution recognized internationally for the quality of the projects promoted, Fantini Mosaici collaborated in the creation of the marble elements installed in the exhibition spaces to enhance the works of art.
Designed by the OMA architecture studio led by Rem Koolhaas, the complex, located in a former distillery from the 1910s, has been a point of reference in the cultural panorama since its inauguration in 2015.
