Decoration for the Façade of the Casa del Fascio

In the original project, according to some photomontages, the panels made by Marcello Nizzoli were to decorate the façade of Giuseppe Terragni’s Casa del Fascio. The architect had planned to insert them on the façade of the building symbolic of Fascism as an integral part of his architectural project but bureaucratic delays however, combined with dissent from official bodies with respect to certain features of the proposed project, extended the time for completion of the works and prevented their placement. On these enamel panels Images are engraved that use photomechanical techniques, documenting activities promoted by the Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, The sports activities, parades, speeches and crowds were to visually crown the propaganda function of the Casa del Fascio itself. The hub of the narrative is the Duce himself, portrayed frontally and rendered in an image on a larger scale than the others. Mussolini’s watchful gaze is placed in such a position as to dominate the entire narrative, which metaphorically seems to be emanating from him, as seal, justification and explanation of all the events narrated, giving them meaning and credibility. (E. Di Raddo)