Filippo Juvara

Filippo Juvarra, (in Spain Felipe Juvara), (March 7, 1678 in Messina - January 31, 1736 in Madrid) was an Italian architect and scene designer with a cosmopolitan outlook.

Related Topics:
March 7 - 1678 - Messina - January 31 - 1736 - Madrid - Architect

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After formative apprentice years in Sicily, as a member of artisan family of goldsmiths and chisellers, he moved to Rome in 1703 where he studied architecture of Carlo and Francesco Fontana.

Related Topics:
Sicily - Rome - 1703 - Carlo - Francesco Fontana

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In 1706 Juvarra won a contest organized by Pope Clement XI and became a member of the prestigious Accademia di San Luca. In 1708 he created his first important work, and the only one realized in Rome: the Antamori Chapel of in the church of San Gerolamo della Carita'.

Related Topics:
1706 - Pope Clement XI - Accademia di San Luca - 1708 - San Gerolamo della Carita'

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At the same time he designed numerous theatrical machines and mechanisms for the ceremonies and celebrations and worked as a scene-designer for the private theatres (in particular for the little theatre at Palazzo della Cancelleria of Cardinal Ottoboni creating a new type of theatrical space.

Related Topics:
Palazzo della Cancelleria - Cardinal Ottoboni

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Juvarra's period of most intensive activity as an architect began in 1714, when after a sojourn in Messina, he moved to Piedmont where Victor Amadeus II of Savoy named Juvarra the first architect of the court. The fame obtained here thanks to his talent and capacities determined his further activity at the richest noble and royal courts of Europe.

Related Topics:
1714 - Messina - Piedmont - Victor Amadeus II - Savoy - Europe

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Among numerous created or projected works for the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia should be noticed:

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• Basilica di Superga (1715-1718) built on the high hill over the Turin;
• the facade of the church Santa Cristina (1715-1718);
• the project for the third enlargement of Turin to the west acording to the orthogonal system introduced by Vitozzi and Castellamonte: the project including construction of palazzo Martini di Cigala (1716), of Quartieri Militari (1716-1728) and later of the church del Carmine (1732-1736), where the space is concentrated around the central hall with the scenographic effect of light falling from above.

Exploring more and more the original Italian and French traditions, Juvarra realized the big staircase and a facade of Palazzo Madama (1718-1721) and the palazzina di caccia of Stupinigi hunt (1729-1731).

Related Topics:
Palazzo Madama - 1718 - 1721 - Stupinigi - 1729 - 1731

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In 1735 the architect was invited to Madrid by the Bourbon king of Spain, Felipe V, for whom he executed the projects for the Palazzo Reale, Granja di Sant'Ildefonso and Palace of Aranjuez, executed after the death of Juvarra by G.B. Sacchetti and other pupils.

Related Topics:
1735 - Felipe V - Aranjuez

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