Marella Agnelli: The Last Swan

by Marella Agnelli, Marella Caracciolo Chia

Marella Agnelli è il raro caso di una persona che è uno stile, un modo di essere. Fin da quando Richard Avedon la fissò in un celebre ritratto e la definì «il cigno» – definizione poi ripresa da Truman Capote –, Marella Agnelli ha attraversato le fasi più turbolente e affascinanti del secondo Novecento con passo leggero e somma eleganza, sempre «coltivando il suo giardino», dando forma a luoghi e case, nonché a orti e parchi, applicando ovunque il suo tocco sobrio e ammaliante. E in questo libro per la prima volta racconta, in conversazione con la nipote Marella Caracciolo Chia, come tutto questo è avvenuto – e ancora una volta si riconoscerà qui il suo timbro inconfondibile.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Art

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 14, 2014

Reviews

[Edna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...What a life - many with money have no taste and many with taste would not have the money to decorate- buy fantastic art - make amazing gardens- gut and re-do homes. I did not know the many homes they owned. Just a wonderful book of a time period. And interesting that both she, Marella, and Gianni had a strong interest in the aesthetics of any home/garden down to the last detail. A pleasure to read.

[Thorlakur · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely little picture book about this card carrying member of the jet set and her privileged lifestyle. The reader travels through her various properties in Italy, France, Switzerland, New York and Morocco, and discovers her personal style and aesthetics whether indoors or in garden design. Even though one is allowed a peek inside her homes, this is by no means a biography, and I had the distinct feeling that many things were left unsaid.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book, but I didn't care for how it was formatted. I found it hard to continuously read the text, and it was also difficult to match up the captions with the photos.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

GORGEOUS collectable worth art book highlighting all of stellar properties Agnelli has decorated along with the collect they've collected.

She is hands down my favorite "swan". To read this book is like watching a swan glade through a crystal clear lake. It reads as a testimonial of flawless good taste and true elegance, and there is where the importance of this book resides, not in the wealth, nor in the amazing circumstances of her life, but in the sobriety and elegance of her own words used to describe her impressions, love for art and refined interiors.

[Aimee Leonhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photos and interesting bits about interior decorating and gardens but overall pretty shallow. This is a book for Marella and her family as a reminiscence not an informative book for the general public. I did enjoy the little bit she included about Truman Copote on a Mediterranean yacht trip.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book! Elegant! What an amazing life!

[Manny Villa · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ can buy you beautiful things.