Renzo Mongiardino: Renaissance Master of Style (Laure Verchère, 2013)
If I had to choose, the greatest palazzo and high-end home designer of all time would be none other than the master of opulence: Renzo Mongiardino. This hardback compendium documents Renzo’s use of Pompeiian frescoes, renaissance paintings, trompe-l’œil, Wedgwood jasperware, orientalist decors and neoclassical architecture – crushing a fortress of time and borders with his dismissal of minimalistic trends. The grandeur of his mammoth dreamscapes explore mythical architectural features inspired by exuberant neoclassicism, ancient Greco-Rome, Renaissance Italy, Pompeii, Topkapi, Byzantium and Orientalism. Though much is reserved about the elusive design icon’s 50-year career, this is possibly the most comprehensive insight into his creative path and inspirations.