With the death of his teacher (13 October 1822) he assumed the directorship by the bequest of the only heir, monsignor Gian Battista Sartori, and of the superintendent of the workshop, Sir Antonio d'Este.

In September 1831 Baruzzi was called to Bologna to take the professorship of sculpture at the Accademia of Belle Arti, that was empty after De Maria left it and the designated successor Adamo Tadolini refused.

During the attack of Bologna by Austrian troops in 1849, L’Eliso was transformed into a barracks; in the ten days of occupation the house was ransacked and destroyed, and many works were damaged or lost.

Since the economic aid promised by the government never arrived, Baruzzi personally went to Rome, Naples, and Paris to sell some of his works, but the earnings from them did not cover the cost of rebuilding the villa.

His will, dated 5 April 1873, named his heir the Municipio di Bologna, with the commitment of investing his patrimony to the establishment of a prize for young artists within five years of his death.