Uscita dall’eclettismo di mons. Giuseppe Polvara un’esperienza interrotta?

This article explores the thought and work of the architect and priest Msgr. Giuseppe Polvara, emphasizing his modern vision of sacred art and religious architecture in the period between the two world wars. Indeed, he argued that art academies did not sufficiently consider the liturgical dimension of their works, and criticized contemporary sacred art as unworthy of the Christian tradition. The essay examines some projects of liturgical buildings where Polvara introduces elements of innovation through the use of reinforced concrete, particular geometries and the catenary curve, used as a structural and decorative element. The author also analyzes the position of the Beato Angelico School and the consequent search for a modern style based on the potential of new materials and new technologies, without denying the value of tradition. The text, in fact, shows how despite Polvara yearning for modernity, his works have not completely distanced themselves from tradition, trying to find a balance between innovation and adherence to classical architectural Principles. Through the use of direct sources and mostly unpublished archival documents, the author lingers on the attitude of the Lombard priest who seeks practical and ‘economic’ solutions capable of overcoming even the ‘limitations’ sometimes imposed by the Church and by patrons not always artistically prepared. Although Polvara’s modernity was not able to evolve into a new fully distinctive architectural language, he nonetheless left a mark on the history of Italian sacred architecture, moving away from the purely eclectic language and making a transition towards a more modern and technologically advanced approach.