BETWEEN ANCIENT STONES AND WHISPERS OF HISTORY, PORTICI PRESERVES THE ECHO OF THE PAST BENEATH ITS PORTALS
Interior design is the true strength of the property. A careful renovation by Gallotta Studio has enhanced the period details of this Liberty-style villa. Every element is meticulously designed and was created specifically for L’ASTRO D’ORO. The celestial motifs engraved on the doors were custom-designed, and the wall decorations were handmade with gold leaf, inspired by ancient depictions of the constellations.
The Technique
The room decorations are entirely handmade. Artist Marco Mazzocchi traces the designs directly onto the walls, before applying a rubbery adhesive varnish that keeps the surface ready to receive the gold.
On this damp layer, thousands of ultra-thin gold leaves are laid one by one, gently placed with a soft brush. This is followed by a process of glazing, shading, and chiaroscuro that the decorator shapes with meticulous gestures. Specific markers add shimmering reflections, creating effects that change with daylight and artificial light, especially in the representation of the zodiac sign of Pisces.
To protect each work, a shellac finish preserves the brilliance of the gold and respects the tradition of ancient techniques, without the use of synthetic products.
Sketches
The hand-drawn designs are inspired by ancient plates of constellations and stars, reinterpreted with an Art Deco influence and elements such as the sun and clouds, revisited in a geometric style.
The stars
Pisces
Two celestial fish swim in the luminous darkness of the firmament, joined by an invisible thread that holds them together even as they drift apart. Guardians of intuition and imagination, they float, inviting one to follow the flow of creativity. On the clearest nights, they seem to shimmer, transforming thought into image.
Argo Navis
In the celestial vault sails a ship of immortal wood and shining sails, the same one that guided Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece. The Argo Navis—an ancient constellation introduced by Ptolemy in the Almagest that no longer exists today—is a symbol of adventure and destiny: a journey that does not fear the dark sea, because its stars are both compass and promise.
Scorpio
In the darkness reaches out the Scorpion with the fiery star Antares, ancient guardian of summer nights. Its figure curves into an arc, forming a tail of sparkling stars. It is the constellation of the brave, of those who cross through the shadows without fearing change. Scorpio guards the mystery of transformation: every one of its movements whispers that to be reborn, one must first sink into the darkness and then re-emerge, luminous.
Zeus
From the heights of Olympus, Zeus raises his arm and the entire sky holds its breath. The lightning bolts hurled by the god illuminate the celestial vault like a divine thought, tracing paths of light through the clouds. It is the primordial force that upholds the world, the Order born from Chaos. Sleeping under his gaze is like resting beside a sacred mountain: powerful, eternal, invincible.
Mercury
Mercury runs among the stars with winged sandals, crossing the constellations like a messenger of time. He is the god who never stops, who knows the secrets of the winds and of dreams. As he passes, the breeze vibrates like a whispered word. Those who sleep under his protection feel the air grow lighter, protected to travel far.
Sagittarius
The cosmic archer draws his bow toward the infinite. The stars trace his perfect gesture, crystallizing it in an eternal moment. Sagittarius is the constellation of travel, of search, and of the desire to discover what is not yet known. Its light invites one to look beyond.
Leo
The celestial Lion roars in silence, lying like a king between the sands of the cosmos. His golden mane shines, a still flame suspended in the sky. It is the constellation of pride, courage, and generosity. At night, he seems to protect the world from Chaos, like a guardian who never sleeps.
Cancer
Cancer shines like a hidden sign in the depths of the sky. It is the constellation of delicacy, of the return to the inner home. Its stars seem to move slowly, like steps on wet sand at the shore. Those who observe it feel an ancient peace, similar to the backwash of the sea.
Capricorn
Between sky and earth, a series of stars seem to climb upward. Capricorn is a symbol of patience and construction, of sure steps that transform desire into form. Its presence suggests a rarefied balance: deep roots and visions that rise, like a work that takes shape with calmness and strength.
Canis
Canis Major and Canis Minor, two luminous guardians who follow the hunter through the seasons. Their stars are as faithful as ancient companions: one strong light that guides, one fainter that consoles. They walk together, teaching that even in the deepest darkness, one is never alone.
Pegasus
From the clouds rises the winged horse, free as the wind that no boundary can hold. Its wings are made of sparkling stars, which with every beat seem to push the sky a little higher. Pegasus represents poetry, the dream that transcends reality. To look at it is to believe in the impossible.
Taurus
Taurus advances solemnly, with shining horns and a breath that vibrates in the night. It is the constellation of strength, of calmness, of the patience that knows how to build. Its stars are solid, firm, like eternal rocks.
The Bear
The two Bears—Major and Minor—have guided travelers for millennia. Their stars form paths that point North, like hands outstretched toward the right direction. They are guardians of movement and return, silent companions of those who seek their own way. In their stellar embrace, one feels the comfort of orientation, the welcome of the night.
The Swans
They open in the sky with quiet elegance, with wings traced like lines of light that brush against the night.
A double image whose figures reflect one another, creating a graceful gesture, a silent dialogue.
To observe them is like following a movement that is born from the imagination and settles upon the sky.
The Serpent
The Serpent winds through the sky following an ancient, hypnotic movement. A slender figure that crosses the night with the calmness of one who knows profound secrets. Represented here as in the most ancient legends with the head of a Basilisk: a creature of light and shadow, a symbol of inner power and of mortal gazes that transform.
The constellation of the Serpent recalls the fascination of what is hidden: a line that invites one to approach with care, to let oneself be drawn in by its forms.
Cupid
Cupid advances with open eyes, bright with an unexpected awareness: no longer the blindfolded archer, but an attentive observer. He rides his eagle—proud, vigilant—as he draws his bow: a creative act rather than a stroke of fate. The eagle watches as a silent guardian of his precision. Together, they form a symbol of love and intuition.
The Artist
Marco Mazzocchi, designer and visual artist active between Naples and Portici, has been a collaborator of Riflessi SRL since 2006. He has developed a personal decorative language, capable of blending the delicacy of traditional techniques with a contemporary vision in which form, symbol, and light coexist in harmony.