Villino Chini

The Villino Chini, built around 1923, was commissioned by Chino Chini, son of Guido, as a residence for himself and his family in Borgo San Lorenzo, near the historic Fornaci San Lorenzo, the ceramic factory founded by the family. During those years, Chino Chini, now in charge of the factory, felt the need to live close to his business, in order to monitor and supervise the daily work. The villa is an original building made of stone and bricks, with an "L" shaped plan and a pitched roof, featuring a protruding body, taller than the rest, culminating in a small terrace. Its style is strongly inspired by the neo-Gothic models that were emerging at that time, albeit with a certain interpretative freedom, giving the building a particular uniqueness and originality. The exterior decoration of the villa pays homage to the production of the Manifattura Chini, with ceramic tiles used to decorate numerous surfaces. In particular, many of the tiles are taken from the repertoire created for the monumental decorative project of the Terme Berzieri in Salsomaggiore, carried out between 1920 and 1923. The proceeds from this project precisely allowed for the construction of the villa. The facade facing the main avenue is adorned with ceramic motifs in the form of broken lines, diamonds, triangles, and intertwining patterns, decorating the window arches, while larger tiles embellish terraces and attics, showcasing a wide range of designs and themes, almost like displaying a sample of the ceramics produced by the factory. A distinctive element of the facade is the small terrace, supported by columns in metallic luster stoneware, which also hold the balustrade, while at the base, there are natural stoneware lion heads, creating a scenic and elegant effect. Under the canopy, a Madonna with Child in Robbia style is hung between two fruit festoons, another reference to the family's decorative tradition. On the windows overlooking the garden, polychrome stained glass can be observed, also made by the factory, adding a touch of color and light to the architecture. The facade is further adorned with a frieze of figurative tiles, winding along the top, further enriching the building. The perimeter wall and gates of the villa are also decorated with ceramic tiles, some small and delicate pieces alternating with a terracotta relief depicting a Putto holding an eel. The plaque with the villa's name and the doorbell plate, adorned with a lizard biting its tail, are other details attesting to the meticulous attention to detail and the quality of the ceramics produced by the Fornaci Chini. The interiors of the Villino Chini are equally fascinating, with coverings that have been perfectly preserved over time. In particular, the Bathroom is an example of how Chini majolica tiles were skillfully applied, creating a refined environment rich in details. Another element of great aesthetic impact is the floor of the main hall, featuring a beautiful design of the Birth of Venus, made in polychrome stoneware by the Fornaci Chini based on a design by Galileo Chini, son of Guido and brother of Chino. The design is inspired by the painting traditions of the Florentine Renaissance, creating a connection between past and present, uniting the Florentine artistic tradition with the modernity of Liberty decorative art. The ensemble of the Villino Chini, despite being heterogeneous in its various decorative details, creates an aesthetically suggestive effect, in perfect harmony with the decorative intent that animated the entire activity of the Chini family. The villa represents a unique example of how ceramic elements, created for different purposes, can be reused and applied in different contexts, showcasing the versatility and beauty of the work of the Chinis and their factories, which remained a reference point in the Italian artistic and cultural landscape for decades. The Villino is part of the Liberty Itinerary that involves numerous points in Borgo San Lorenzo and the Mugello.

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