Gino Coppedè

A house in the so-called "Quartiere Coppedè" in Rome.

An old photo of Palazzo Magaudda in Messina.

Luigi Coppedè (26 September 1866 - 20 September 1927) was an Italian architect, sculptor and decorator. He was an exponent of Art Nouveau.

Biography

Coppedè was born in Florence. After receiving a diploma in the local School of Industrial Decorative Arts, he worked in his father's studio. In 1889 he married Beatrice, daughter of sculptor Pasquale Romanelli.

In 1891 he entered the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze where he became professor of architectural design. His first main work was the Mackenzie Castle in Genoa in 1890. Starting in 1917, Coppedè worked in Rome on a series of buildings in the Art Nouveau style, forming what would later be known as the Quartiere Coppedè ("Coppedè Quarter"). In the same year he became professor at the University of Pisa.

After a series of architectural projects in Messina and designing furniture for Lloyd Sabaudo and Cosulich Line ferries, Coppedè started on building the palatial residence of the Marquess of Motilla in Seville in 1924. In 1920 he also designed the Palazzo Galli in Naples and the Villa Barsanti at Pietrasanta, among others.

He died in Rome in 1927.

Sources

• Bossaglia, R.; M. Cozzi (1982). I Coppedè. Genoa: Sagep.