Study of the lithotypes used in the mosaics of artificial grottoes and nymphaea in Lombardy

A nymphaeum is a specially designed place - inside an Italianate garden, or in connection with it (artificial grotto) - to amaze. Artifice and constructive expertise are the things that characterize these pieces of architecture, rich in fountains, mosaics, waterworks, statues, murales, stuccos, works of art and automas; originally real Wunderkammern evidence of the culture of the time. However, in Lombardy (Northern Italy) many nymphaea located in private suburban villas are still unknown. This paper presents a wide overview, with the aim of listing grottoes and nymphaea around Lombardy and then classifying the stones used in the decorative mosaics, taking into account the lack of specific studies in this field. Through the 25 works found by census that go from the XVI to the XX century, the history, the stylistic and technique evolution of grottos and nymphaea in Lombardy is recreated. Thanks to the identification of the types of stones used in every garden and to the qualitative analysis of their diffusion, this study paves the way for considerations on the supply of the extraordinary variety of the Lombard stone materials over the centuries. The survey has the goal to promote a Catalogue of the materials used in the mosaics of artificial grottoes and nymphaea in Lombardy - provided with their damage pattern - with the aim of build up a knowledge tool to be used in next conservation and restoration works; accompanied by an online map aimed at interactive valorization