Restoration of the “Ave Maria” monument in the Milan Cimitero Monumentale

The “Ave Maria” monument by Giulio Branca, part of the rich heritage of the Cimitero Monumentale, has been restored thanks to innovative collaboration between Bracco Foundation, the municipality of Milan, Amici del Monumentale and the Soprintendenza of the city of Milano.

The work by Giulio Branca, in bronze and stone, is an extraordinary example of Italian social art, one of the most interesting monuments in the Monumentale with great artistic and emotional impact. The original, displayed in 1894 at the Brera Triennale, is today conserved that the GAM – Galleria di Arte Moderna in Milan and portrays an old countryman praying at sunset to give thanks for the day’s harvest.

The restoration, carried out by the Fonderia Artistica Battaglia, is a “first”: it is the first intervention in which a private body promotes the conservation and highlighting of a work of art in the Cimitero Monumentale, ensuring its survival. The sculpture, next to the aedicule of the Bracco family, well exemplifies the characteristics of the Foundation’s projects: attention to the cultural heritage in the territory, the support of restoration that gives back to the city works of important historical and artistic interest, and a multidisciplinary dimension. Maintenance of the magnificent but little-known artistic heritage hidden behind the walls of the Monumentale is a continuous challenge that involves the whole community.

The restored work was presented on Wednesday, September 11, 2019 in the presence of institutions and the public.