Ferdinando Brambilla (milan, 1838-1921), The Nun Of Monza

Ferdinando Brambilla (Milan, 1838-1921)

The nun of Monza

Oil on canvas, cm 60,5x49

Signed and dated bottom right "Brambilla 1868"

The painting depicts a nun caught up in the intimate and personal act of reading the sacred scriptures. At the center of the composition, the figure of the religious dominates the scene, dressed in a dark dress and a white veil that frames her face. The gaze, sweet and absorbed, is directed towards the observer, a serene and slightly interrogative expression that invites direct eye contact. In his hands he holds an open book, the pages of which seem to absorb his attention, even if momentarily distracted. Behind it, through a large window, you can see a particularly suggestive view: the imposing Gothic spires of the cathedral of Monza are clearly visible. This allows us to identify the retreated with Gertrude, the absolute nun protagonist of the IX chapter of the Promessi Sposi Manzoniani. The light that filters from outside gently illuminates the face of the nun and the pages of the book, creating an atmosphere of quietness and contemplation. The painting as a whole conveys a sense of calm and devotion, suggesting a moment of study or personal reflection.

Ferdinando Brambilla was born in Milan on 8 July 1838. He attended the school of Dreams in Brera, oscillating between neo-Renaissance and romantic ways, to then move on to those of Hayez and Casnedi. With the latter he collaborated on the fresco decoration - later replaced by mosaics and now lost - of the octagon of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan (lunette dell'America e dell'Arte). As a freshener, the Brambilla was also active at the Temple of the Incoronata in Lodi, where he painted the allegorical figures of the upper floor, led with a certain pictorial warmth, the Facts of St. Mark in the chapel dedicated to the saint in S. Simpliciano in Milan.