Portrait of Michele Bernocchi

Michele Bernocchi (1862-1937) is the son of Rodolfo, the owner of a cotton mill in Castellanza (Varese), where, at the age of sixteen, he went to work with his two brothers, Andrea and Antonio. He became one of the most important Lombard industrialists, specializing in the production of cotton printed fabrics together with two other industrialists such as De Angeli and Frua. In the various factories in Legnano, Nerviano and in various locations in the Varese area, 5000 workers are employed. Senator of the Kingdom of Italy, in addition to serving as president of other important factories and being a director of the Banca Popolare di Legnano, he set up a vocational school also in Legnano. After having contributed in a decisive way to the industrialization of the province of Milan and Varese, on the estate of Morghengo (Novara) acquired at the age of seventy, when he decided to radically change its sector of activity, he tried to apply industrial criteria to agricultural production and breeding of animals, especially fur animals. In his will allocates one million to the school he founded, provides donations for the Legnano Hospital, the Welfare Fund for workers and peasants of his companies and also for the Ospedale Maggiore (250,000 lire). On the indication of the heirs the commission of the portrait is entrusted to Giuseppe Amisani, who represents the character, outdoors, posing naturally in the center of the picture full of light. The setting in a Lombard countryside in the plowing phase, with a distant appearance of snow-capped Alps, certainly alludes to Bernocchi's latest activity in favor of modern and competitive agriculture, but also gives the portrait vivacity, naturalness and brightness, allowing the artist to free himself from the late-romantic models that were still requested by the client.