Portrait of Camillo Hajech

Dr. Camillo Hajech (1853-1934), Chief of Pediatrics at the Ospedale Maggiore in Milan, son of the famous Prague-born engineer, physicist and scientist of the same name, enters the hospital as a practicing surgeon at the age of 23, immediately after degree obtained in Pavia. He worked there until 1916, but after retiring, he offered to lend service for free throughout the war. Tenacious advocate of the establishment of marine hospices for the treatment of tuberculosis patients, in 1882 he was among the founders of the Milanese Poliambulanza and for many years secretary of the Italian Society of Pediatrics. The Maggiore Hospital does not benefit directly. The widow, Rachelina (Lina) Biffi, arranges a donation of 100,000 lire on his behalf in favor of the hospital to contribute to the construction of the Pediatric Pavilion, to which she adds a similar sum in her own name. she offers to provide at her own expense, through artists of her choice, the execution of the two full-length portraits. In December 1934 the Artistic Commission of the Hospital ratified the commission of the portrait of Dr. Hajech to Eugenia Majocchi Bosone and that of his wife to Giuseppe Amisani. The artist, in her full maturity, has as a model a small photo; reveals in his painting the link with Lombard Impressionism, for the particular sensitivity to the lighting effects of the landscape, but also a great attention to the surrender of the face of the doctor, illuminated by two piercing eyes full of humanity.