The Monument to Emilio De Marchi was inaugurated in 1905 at the Scientific-Literary Academy of Milan.
Only at a later time the work was placed in the Public Gardens.
The monument was created to honor a great figure of Italian literature, a celebrated writer, poet, and translator.
The work stands out for a compositional solution of remarkable visual appeal: the sculpture is embedded within an artificial rock that creates a striking dialogue between the human element and natural stone. The monument is the result of the close collaboration of three distinguished figures of Lombard culture of the era. The bronze bust was modeled by the sculptor Antonio Carminati, who was able to convey De Marchi’s austere physiognomy and profound expressive intensity.
The sculpture rests on a marble base designed by the architect Gaetano Moretti, which houses a commemorative epigraph conceived by the playwright Giuseppe Giacosa.
From a historical and artistic perspective, the work perfectly embodies the spirit of early twentieth-century bourgeois commemoration, aimed at highlighting intellectuals of high moral standing.
The choice to integrate the statue into a rocky niche reflects the eclectic and late-Romantic taste of the era, characterized by the pursuit of a harmonious fusion between monument and natural landscape in city parks.
photo: © Beppe Brancato | © Christian Richters | © Fabrizio Stipari
Due to a general strike
on Friday, October 30, 2026,
regular opening hours for the
Permanent Collection
may not be guaranteed.
The exhibitions will close at 7:30pm in any case
(last admission 6:30pm).
The exhibitions Matisse. The world in a room and Deutsche Bank Artist of the Year – Charmaine Poh will remain open as scheduled.
