In Treviso, the façade of Casa Minotto has been restored: an extraordinary cycle of 15th-16th century frescoes has been brought to light

In the heart of Treviso, the façade of Casa Minotto—formerly the site of the Ospedaletto dei Santi Marco e Vittore—has been reborn after a meticulous restoration, bringing to light an extraordinary cycle of 15th- and 16th-century frescoes that enrich the urban fabric and the city's collective memory. The project, conducted with scientific rigor and a profound attention to historical and artistic values, once again confirms Treviso's centrality in the protection and enhancement of its Renaissance pictorial heritage.

The restoration of the façade of Casa Minotto has allowed the rediscovery of a pictorial cycle spanning over half a century of figurative art, restoring to the city a visual narrative that unfolds between late Gothic styles and Renaissance innovations. The project, overseen by architect Gianluca Finco, involved meticulous work consolidating the plaster, restoring color, and cleaning the surfaces, with the support of a team of restorers and art historians. Diagnostic investigations have allowed us to understand the pictorial stratification and identify the original elements, distinguishing the various decorative phases that marked the building's history.

The frescoes, now once again visible to the public, feature highly refined decorative motifs, sacred and allegorical scenes that testify to the cultural vitality of Renaissance Treviso. The façade thus becomes an open chapter in the city's history, its secular and religious patronage, and the artistic ambitions of a community firmly rooted in the values ​​of devotion, urban decorum, and artistic patronage. The iconographic details, from patron saints to elegant grotesques, convey a sense of spirituality and beauty, embodying the tension between local tradition and influences from the artistic centers of Veneto and Lombardy.

The restoration, made possible thanks to the joint commitment of public and private entities, is part of the long tradition of restoring Treviso's historic façades, which have benefited from consolidation and enhancement campaigns in recent decades. The importance of Casa Minotto, however, lies not only in the quality of the paintings but also in the social function performed by the ancient Ospedaletto, a place of welcome and assistance that for centuries represented a bastion of solidarity and inclusion. The presence of frescoes in the former hospital building underscores the role of art as a vehicle of hope, education, and civic memory.

The project planning included a detailed historical analysis of both the building and the painting techniques used. Archival research allowed us to attribute the various decorative phases to local workshops active between the 15th and 16th centuries, sensitive to the influence of figures such as Ludovico Pozzoserrato and other Flemish masters passing through Veneto. The survey and restoration work involved multiple fronts: from mapping the surface degradation to recovering the pictorial layers, with results that today allow us to appreciate the stylistic variety and depth of the iconographic layers.

Casa Minotto thus becomes a virtuous example of synergy between the public and private sectors: the Municipality of Treviso, owner of part of the building, has provided technical and logistical support, while the private company that leases it has provided financial support for part of the works, fostering the birth of a collaboration that could serve as a model for safeguarding common goods. This initiative demonstrates the need to promote new forms of cultural sharing and responsibility, inviting citizens and institutions to actively participate in the protection of artistic heritage.

The restoration's impact on the city is tangible. The façade of Casa Minotto, now restored to its former splendor, contributes to strengthening the historical identity of the city center, enhancing the aesthetics of the streets and promoting cultural and tourist itineraries that engage visitors, scholars, and art enthusiasts. The educational experiences promoted during the inauguration—with guided tours, workshops, and open restoration sessions—created opportunities for mutual learning among professionals, students, and citizens, raising awareness of the techniques used and the importance of conservation.

The unearthing of the Casa Minotto frescoes demonstrates the value of historical research and technical sensitivity, underscoring how every building can contain traces of identity and beauty capable of speaking to the present. The photographic documentation, scientific studies, and testimonies gathered during the restoration project now enrich the city's documentary heritage, offering study materials and food for thought for a reinterpretation of Treviso's urban and artistic history.

The project marks a fundamental step in the valorization of the urban pictorial cycles that have always characterized the Treviso landscape. The rediscovery of hidden frescoes, erased by time and neglect, reminds us of the urgent and strategic importance of investing in maintenance and restoration, not only to preserve art but also to restore to new generations the ability to understand and recognize their roots. The restored fresco on the façade of Casa Minotto thus becomes not only a work of art but also a tool for social cohesion, a starting point for current reflections and a stimulus for civic participation.