Chair of architecture at the University of Palermo, Ernesto Basile died on this day in 1932. Associated with the Stile Liberty – the Italian version of Art Nouveau – Basile’s designs appealed to upper-middle-class patrons in his home city. Though many of his buildings have been destroyed, a sense of his style can be found in private houses like the Villino Florio (1907-9) and Villa Basile (1903). One of his most important commissions was to expand the Parliament building in Rome, the Palazzo Montecitorio (1902-14), adding on to the original structure built by Gianlorenzo Bernini.
Reference: Helen M. Hills. “Basile.” Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web.
Further reading: Ernesto Basile a Montecitorio (2002).
