Casa Agostoni, Art Nouveau palace in Via Ariosto, Milan, Italy.
Casa Agostoni is an Art Nouveau palace on Via Ariosto decorated with female relief sculptures around its entrance portal and ornamental cement bands above the first floor. The facade features delicate balconies on the first and third stories that enhance the building's refined appearance.
The palace was built in 1908 by architect Alfredo Menni, combining elements of Milanese eclectic design with Art Nouveau influences. Its creation came during the period when the modernist movement was reshaping the appearance of Milan and gaining influence across Lombardy.
The building reflects the tastes of Milan's industrial middle class, who used Art Nouveau style to distinguish their homes from aristocratic villas. This architectural choice shows how a rising merchant class expressed their wealth and forward-thinking preferences.
The palace stands at Via Ariosto 21 and maintains its original features, including the ornate balconies on the first and third floors. Being a private residence, it is typically not open to visitors inside, so viewing the facade from the street is the main way to appreciate the building's details.
The facade displays cement bands with plant-like figures across the first floor, crowned by female relief sculptures in the upper sections. This combination of botanical and human forms was characteristic of the Art Nouveau language of the period.
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