Neoclassical Hall

The “Neoclassical Room,” originally quite similar to the adjacent rooms in its architectural layout and decorative structure, was completely redesigned around 1822 to become a dining room, at the specific request of Count Giberto V Arese Borromeo.

This transformation was entrusted to the painter Gaspare Varenna and followed the Neoclassical principle of clearly indicating the purpose of each room in noble homes, contrasting with the 17th-century practice where rooms lacked fixed functions. Tables, wardrobes, and beds were frequently moved between rooms based on the owners’ specific needs, and often even relocated between different family estates.
Varenna replaced the original 17th-century frescoed medallion in the center of the vault with an elegant panelled decoration; the central panel features geometric motifs. The eight surrounding side panels, however, contain images inspired by the “Fourth Pompeian Style,” primarily depicting naturalistic subjects, animals, and birds. This choice reflects the Cesano palace owner’s interest in archaeology, aligning with the contemporary fashion heavily influenced by the discovery of the cities buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD and the subsequent excavations initiated in 1746 under Charles III of Bourbon.
Some inventories drawn up around the turn of the 18th century refer to this room as the “Eating Room,” noting the presence of three large tables and two small walnut tables placed beneath the two windows. The original furnishings also included six chairs, eight benches with floral upholstery, and a fireplace surround.
It is likely that this room, like many others on the ground floor, was once adorned with numerous canvases and paintings, some of which were religious in theme.
Over the centuries, the “Neoclassical Room” has not only changed its function and decorative scheme but has also been known by different names. Indeed, the room was once called the “Antechamber to the Mosaicha,” as it was the final space in the Vestibule providing access to the Nymphaeum. The Nymphaeum was originally a self-contained apartment featuring an antechamber, two small rooms (one used as a bedroom), and a small Baroque garden, separate from the now-lost “Great Garden,” intended to enhance its sense of secluded tranquility.