In the 19th century gallery, among others, there is also “Il cavalleggero” by Giovanni Fattori, donated to the Museums by Teresa Viganò (pictured), with her sister Gisella. “It is a family painting. We wanted to offer it to the Civic Museums – says Teresa – as a tribute to our parents, Mariuccia Colombo and Enzo Viganò. Our mother passed away in 2022 at the age of 100, and when we dismantled the house we found the painting that had accompanied us since we were children. We don’t know where it came from. Mom and Dad were passionate about art and we have several paintings. We thought we would give the most beautiful one to the Civic Museums. Once the paperwork was done, by chance, the donation coincided with the tenth birthday of the museum”.
The family has origins from Brianza, mother Mariuccia, born in 1922, was from Monza, a primary school teacher, known in the city. His father Vincenzo was from Albiate, moved to Monza for love. The two sisters wanted to give a gift to their city, to further underline their affection for the places where they were born and raised. “The memory of our family is made even more concrete by offering a precious piece to the city, even more than keeping it in the house just for us.” Teresa has a scientific background in pharmaceutical chemist, but she grew up among artistic objects that she learned to appreciate. “Il cavalleggero” by Giovanni Fattori portrays a soldier at the time of the Wars of Independence, in an everyday pose, away from epic rhetoric. The backgrounds, the light and the two-tone recall the movement of the Macchiaioli of which Fattori was one of the main exponents.
C.B.
