«Quando questo sia l’unico modo atto ad assicurare la loro conservazione»: la posizione di Piero Gazzola sul caso della villa Galvagnina a Moglia

In the 1960s, Piero Gazzola, as the superintendent of monuments for the provinces of Verona, Cremona, and Mantua, dealt with the case of Villa Galvagnina in Moglia. This Renaissance residence with rich painted decorations likely dates to the late 16th century. Neglected by art historians until the 1920s, the villa made headlines in 1927 when news of the discovery of frescoes belonging to Giulio Romano appeared in some newspapers, leading to its protection. In 1961, the villa’s owner requested permission to proceed with the demolition and reconstruction of the deteriorating building. Gazzola denied the request, but it led to a debate between Gazzola and Paccagnini, the superintendent of the Galleries of Mantua, regarding the fate of the villa and its paintings. This debate serves as an interesting example of applying the principle that «items of sculpture, painting or decoration which form an integral part of a monument may only be removed from it if this is the sole means of ensuring their preservation».