The bond of the place with the figure of Aurelio Saffi is inseparable, first Minister of the Interior, then Triumvir of the Roman Republic, one of the fathers of the republican movement. He resided in this villa from 1864 until 1890, the year of his death. Alongside him was his wife, Giorgina Craufurd, whose presence is as discreet as it is strong, important, and influential in both the private and public affairs of her husband. Giorgina also lived in the villa until her death in 1911. Often their close friend, Giuseppe Mazzini, was their guest, and various significant memorabilia (the beautiful portrait and the photo dedicated to Nina, as Giorgina was called within the family), as well as curious items such as the nightshirt and slippers, are still preserved in various rooms, testifying to an affectionate bond and frequent visits. Caterina Orazia (Kate), who lived in San Varano, led a life in the shadow of her sister Giorgina and brother-in-law Aurelio, to the point of being buried with them. Kate, a committed Mazzinian and devoted to the Italian cause, nurtured an admiration for Giuseppe Mazzini without limits, which perhaps bordered on love. Among the descendants, we remember Aurelio’s nephew, Aurelio Enrico, who spent a large part of the year at the villa. A graduate in literature, he was Commissioner for the Accademia di S. Cecilia, founder and director along with Vincenzo Cardarelli of the magazine “La Ronda”, and a friend of the painter Amerigo Bartoli Natinguerra (1890-1971), who often stayed at the villa and painted the so-called ping pong room in trompe-l’oeil style. The values that permeated the Saffi family, in its members, also seem to shine through the residence’s environments, from the elegant yet simple furniture, the numerous prints including several Rosaspina, to the countless volumes placed in bookshelves throughout the rooms, a testament to a cultural and civic commitment that has remained unchanged through generations.
Information about Villa Saffi
Via Firenze, 164
47121 Forlì (Forlì-Cesena)
0543712659
servizio.pinacoteca.musei@cofo.it
Source: MIBACT
