Villa Caffetto: Brutalist Masterpiece and Art Collection to Be Auctioned

Villa Caffetto, a brutalist villa designed by architect Fausto Bontempi (a student of Carlo Scarpa) in Calcinato near Brescia and Lake Garda, is set to open to the public. The villa, built in 1972 and home to artist Claudio Caffetto (1942-2022) from 1976, features exposed concrete with Rosso di Verona marble inserts, extensive glass walls, terraces, and hanging gardens. It houses hundreds of works by Caffetto and his circle, including collaborations with Minguzzi, Guzzini, Dadamaino, and François Morellet. Caffetto's daughters Metilde and Giovanna have founded an association to promote the property. To raise funds for maintenance, a selection of 35 works from the collection will be auctioned on Catawiki from April 10 to 22, 2025. The auction includes a unique prototype by Morellet and a Cromorilievo by Dadamaino, considered the top lot. Prices range from a few hundred euros for drawings to several thousand for sculptures, targeting a younger international audience (ages 28-40).