Shrine of Our Lady of the Guard, Tortona (Italy) – The gilded sculpture goes back to its brightness

More than sixty years later its realization, the sculpture representing the Virgin Mary with Christ Child finally goes back to its brightness, illuminating the city of Tortona (Italy) from the top of the cathedral bell tower. In fact, on September 2016 Studio Reduzzi finished the restoration works of the sculpture, which consisted of an ex novo gilding of its entire surface (more than 200 square meters).

In short time it will be published online a detailed description of the entire work, which will illustrate the various executive phases with a rich photo gallery.

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© Opera Don Orione, Tortona (Italy)

Shrine of Our Lady of the Guard, Tortona (Italy) – Studio Reduzzi started the restoration works of the gilded sculpture

On June 2016 Studio Reduzzi started the restoration works of the sculpture Mater Dei, representing the Virgin Mary with Christ Child. This 14 meters high sculpture is placed on the top of the cathedral bell tower, that measures more than 60 meters high.

The sculpture was commissioned in the second half of the Fifties by Saint Luigi Orione to the Italian artist Narciso Cassino. It was realized in bronze by Fonderia Artistica Battaglia (Milan, Italy) and then gilded with 24 karats genuine gold leafs for its entire surface. In the course of time, the adverse weather conditions damaged the golden film, consuming it and producing the loss of some parts of it. These typical degradation phenomena caused relevant problems for the conservation and the security of the sculpture itself, for which it was necessary to plan and to realize a preservative intervention.

After careful diagnostic studies, Studio Reduzzi designed the restoration and, after the approval of the Superintendent of Fine Arts for Turin, started the executive phase of the works.

Floriano BODINI – Saint Alexander

The web section “Glasses” has been updated adding the art work Sant’Alessandro / Saint Alexander by the Italian artist Floriano Bodini.

This stained-glass window is based on the original sketch drawn by the artist and it was realized by Lino Reduzzi in the period 1999-2000. Studio Reduzzi used the oldest and finest techniques that belong to stained-glass art tradition: the mouth-blown glass was accurately selected, etched with acid, painted with glazes, silver salts and grisaille, fired and leaded. The work was finally installed in the church of Saint Alexander Episcopal College in Bergamo (Italy).

Kyoji NAGATANI – The seed

The web section “Installations” has been updated adding the art work Il seme / The seed by the Japanese artist Kyoji Nagatani.

It is a monument designed and modeled by the Japanese artist in 2012. Lino Reduzzi was proud to give his technical partnership during both the desing and execution phases and he also gilded a part of the internal surface with 24 karats genuine gold leafs.

This work is located within a rectangular stretch of water at the Scuola Edile in Seriate (Italy). It is equipped with an electrical mechanism that permits its automatic opening and closing movements. The making of this sculpture was made possible thanks to the partnership between Nagatani and Italcementi, leading company in the field of building materials, that designed a specific mix of white concrete TX Active® in order to satisfy all the artist’s requirements.

Floriano BODINI – Second coming of Christ

The web section “Glasses” has been updated adding the art work Seconda venuta di Cristo / Second coming of Christ by the Italian artist Floriano Bodini.

We proceed to publish the many works realized thanks to the successful collaboration between Lino Reduzzi and Floriano Bodini, fed through the years by their mutual esteem and friendship. This stained-glass window was realized by Studio Reduzzi in 2002 and it is based on the original sketch drawn by the artist. The art work is located on the counter-façade of the Saint Bernard church in Castel Rozzone (Italy). It was inaugurated at the end of the restoration works of the interior, including the renovation of the original pipe organ.

Floriano BODINI – Virgin Mary on the chestnut tree

The web section “Glasses” has been updated adding the art work Madonna della castagna / Virgin Mary on the chestnut tree by the Italian artist Floriano Bodini.

It is a stained-glass window realized by Lino Reduzzi in 2005, based on the original sketch drawn by the artist. The realization process fully reflects the traditional Italian glass technique: the work was realized with colored mouth-blown glasses, etched with acid, painted with glazes, silver salts and grisaille, fired and finally leaded. This stained-glass window is located in the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin in Bergamo (Italy).

Floriano BODINI – Allegory of work

The web section “Installations” has been updated adding the art work Allegoria del lavoro / Allegory of work by the Italian artist Floriano Bodini.

It is a fresco designed by the artist and painted on wall in 2002 with the assistance of Lino Reduzzi. This work was realized on the façade of the municipal building in Calcio (Italy) and it was commissioned by the city Administration for the project Narrating walls: it is an art initiative promoted by the town since 1995 whose aim is to celebrate its history. Through the years, contemporary artists have been selected to illustrate the events that happend in Calcio, realizing specific art works on the building façades in the inner city.

Tullio PERICOLI – Ludovico Ariosto

The web section “Installations” has been updated adding the art work Ludovico Ariosto by the Italian artist Tullio Pericoli.

It is a fresco graffito on wall designed and realized by Pericoli in 2011 with the technical partnership of Lino Reduzzi. The work is located in Le Case Cavallini-Sgarbi in Ferrara (Italy): it is a Medieval building in the inner city, where it is said that Ludovico Ariosto wrote some parts of his poem Orlando Furioso.

Enrico DELLA TORRE – Glass works

The web section “Glasses” has been updated adding a series of 18 glass works realized by Lino Reduzzi in the period 1999-2010 and based on the original sketches drawn by the Italian artist Enrico Della Torre.

The realization process changes from work to work: the colored mouth-blown glass was differently treated (etched with acid, painted with glazes, silver salts and grisaille, fired and leaded) in order to permit the most accurate realization of the original drawings. The entire series was exhibited for the very first time in the show Enrico Della Torre. Stained-glasses realized in Lino Reduzzi’s workshop, held at the Romanesque Saint Peter’s church in Teglio (Italy) from 24th July to 12th September 2010.

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Enrico Della Torre and Lino Reduzzi, 2010 – Photo Giorgio De Giorgi

Francesco SOMAINI – Galleria Mazzini, Genoa

The web section “Mosaics” has been updated adding the art works designed by the Italian artist Francesco Somaini for the Galleria Mazzini in Genoa (Italy).

They are four large mosaics realized by Lino Reduzzi and based on the original sketches drawn by the artist. These works are located in the sandstone flooring of the gallery and were inaugurated during the G8 reunion in Geona (July 2001).

These octagonal art works (side 122 inches – surface 45 square meters each) are situated in correspondence of the four glass crowns of the gallery. Thanks to the close collaboration with Somaini, Lino Reduzzi accurately chose seventeen types of marble and developed a specific mosaic weaving in order to permit the most accurate realization of the original sketches. The artist also enhanced his drawings with gold inserts that were realized with chiseled bronze tesserae. The mosaics were produced in Lino Reduzzi’s workshop, then transported, installed in the flooring of the gallery and finally polished.

The entire project was made possible thanks to the donations of Carige Foundation, Chamber of Commerce and Trametal S.p.A. (Genoa).

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