Hall of Birds

The fireplace inside the Salone degli Uccelli features one entirely original feature.

The interior is completely adorned with blue and white tiles, as if to recall Spanish and Portuguese azulejo work.

On the right are figures, probably royals, perhaps the result of an invitation to the city.

On the left, however, are some of the city’s buildings, complete with two sketched figures who seem to be observing the group on the right of the composition.

The vault of the ceiling of the Salone degli Uccelli demonstrates the admirable artistic ability of the stucco artist: a good 204 octagons with a blue background contain birds in flight in an orderly composition which follows that concept of Rococo refinement so dear to the court.

The octagons containing the birds are bordered by four golden flowers each and have a gold frame.

Inside each tondo is a bird surrounded by a garland of different flowers.

Just as the individual birds are different in their composition.

In addition, as well as the garlands and birds differing from one another, some of these also project beyond the garland itself, thus accentuating the three-dimensional effect to be seen in the ceiling.

In conclusion, we see here Bossi’s great compositional skill in knowing how to manage a rather complex artistic technique since, unlike fresco, if a mistake is made in the stucco procedure it is difficult to correct. The major example is to be seen in the central hall which seems to be linked more to the room as such than to the frescoes, also painted by Bossi.

Then there is the chandelier, with its crystal drops hanging from its arms, which blends perfectly into the final composition without hindering enjoyment of the room.

Even the motifs in the details of the mirrors, with their gold colour, are like a continuum of the gold decorations of the vault.

In the centre, instead, is a portrait of Pope Paul III Farnese, one of the main noble families in Parma’s history.