Villa Clerici, a neoclassical structure named for the family who built it between 1722 and 1733, is located in Milan's Niguarda district. It is traditionally attributed to Francesco Croce, who was commissioned by Giorgio Clerici (1648-1736), later replaced by his great-nephew Antonio Giorgio Clerici (1715-1768), the most illustrious member of the Lombard family.
While in the 18th century the villa was one of the finest examples of an aristocratic suburban residence, towards the end of the 19th century it had fallen into decline and was transformed into a spinning mill, resulting in the loss of its original furnishings.
Mario Ganzini, who established a photographic materials and equipment factory there, began a surprisingly respectful restoration of the entire complex in 1912. In 1927, the villa was acquired by the City of Milan, which designated it for cultural and social use, preventing its demolition or development. It was then used for the Casa di Redenzione Sociale, an institution of the Compagnia di San Paolo which aims to reintegrate adults released from prisons into society, and, after the war, minors in difficult situations – activity which continues today in buildings specifically constructed in the 1950s alongside the villa.
In 1955, the restored rooms became the setting for the Gallery of Sacred Art of Contemporary Art, commissioned by Dandolo Bellini, a friend and collaborator of Giovanni Battista Montini, the future Pope Paul VI (1963-1978).
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