Pelagio Palagi : Décorateur Des Palais Royaux De Turin Et Du Piémont (1832-1856)

Italian decorative arts have gone through prosperous times after the accession to the throne of Sardinia of young king Charles-Albert in 1831. Turin benefited from the royal patronage, under the aegis of the "painter in charge of the decoration of the royal palaces", Pelagio Palagi (1775-1860). Authoritarian figure, controversial for his omnipresence on the art scene, he created mural decors, designed furniture, gilt bronzes and fabrics, painted, sculpted and planed new buildings for the glory of the House of Savoy.

Result of the examination of archives and inventories kept in Turin, Bologna and Milan and confronted to foreign sources, this monograph is presented in three parts: it covers first Palagi's building sites, made possible thanks to the royal administration, then studies the influences and style of the artist, and, in the third chapter, the interior installation of the royal residences, including the Palazzo Reale in Turin.