Inseparable is the bond of the place with the figure of Aurelio Saffi, 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. Beside him was his wife, Giorgina Craufurd, whose presence is as discreet as it is strong, important, and incisive for the private and public events of her husband. Giorgina also lived in the villa until her death, which occurred in 1911. Often their dear friend, Giuseppe Mazzini, was a guest, whose meaningful memorabilia are still preserved in various rooms (the beautiful portrait and the photo with a dedication to Nina, as Giorgina was called in the family), or curious items such as the nightgown and slippers, testimonies of an affectionate companionship and frequent visits. Caterina Orazia (Kate) also lived at San Varano, a life lived in the shadow of her sister Giorgina and brother-in-law Aurelio, to the point of being buried with them. Kate, a convinced Mazzinian and devoted to the Italian cause, nurtured unlimited admiration for Giuseppe Mazzini that perhaps bordered on love. Among the descendants, we remember Aurelio’s nephew, Aurelio Enrico, who spent much of the year at the villa. A graduate in literature, he was Commissioner for the Academy of S. Cecilia, founder and director with Vincenzo Cardarelli of the magazine “La Ronda,” friend of the painter Amerigo Bartoli Natinguerra (1890-1971), who often stayed in the villa and painted in trompe-l’oeil the so-called ping pong room. The values that permeated the Saffi family and its members seem to also emerge from the environments of the residence, from the elegant yet sober furniture, the numerous prints including several Rosaspinas, to the countless volumes placed in bookcases located throughout various rooms, bearing witness to a cultural and civic commitment unchanged through generations.
Information about Villa Saffi
Via Firenze, 164
47121 Forlì (Forlì-Cesena)
0543712659
servizio.pinacoteca.musei@cofo.it
Source: MIBACT
