OPEN PALACES
Hidden on the hill of Povo, Villa Gherta has remained unknown for many decades: a villa that for a long time was never open to the public, but is rich in history, art, and charm. It encompasses a very precious heritage of Trentino's artistic narrative and represents a rare example of Liberty style – a unique instance in Trentino alongside Casa Bonazza, located in Trento – a style that between the late 19th century and early 20th century sought to combine elegance, decoration, and innovation.
The villa is a typical example of Gesamtkunstwerk, a total work of art, where architecture and the frescoed parts combine with the so-called minor arts (fireplaces, furnishings, boiseries), as well as the garden and the plants that grow within it: everything contributes to defining the building, which is a treasure trove of Liberty style.
The historical value intertwines, moreover, with local history starting from the eclectic commission of the two brothers Carlo and Giuseppe Garbari, linked to their famous textile production throughout Europe and the irredentist politics of the region, and by Cesare Covi, the artist of the internal and external decorations.
The brothers Garbari's passion for botany found its most complete expression in the park of Villa Gherta. Conceived by the clients as a true botanical laboratory, the garden was not a simple ornamental element, but the common thread that united their scientific culture with the international Liberty aesthetics of the time.
Curated by Anna Giulia Mattivi and Daniela Tessarin, in collaboration with the University of Trento
