“Verbum caro factum est” Allegoria in memoria di un benefattore anonimo

This is the second memorial of the allegorical subject realized by the Quadreria Ospedaliera in honor of Filippo Sciomachen (1849-1931), jeweler, like his father, whose continued the businnes, which he names after her daughter Rosa, as his will. But with a legacy of 200,000 lire for the Ospedale Maggiore and another four legacies of 20,000 for four different Milanese welfare institutions. Since he had expressly renounced the commemorative portrait, the Artistic Commission opted for a picture of allegorical subject, which entrusted to the architect Enzo Zanoni, Enrico's son, one of the benefactors' testamentary executors. He then commissioned Aldo Carpi for a second celebratory allegorical picture. The artist depicts a scene of hospital life: a doctor is visiting a patient, assisted by collaborators, a nun and a nurse. In the upper part is the scene of the Annunciation, to which the hospital is dedicated, with the motto "Ave Gratia Plena". The visiting doctor has the face of Umberto, the painter's brother. Carpi, between 1911 and 1959, executed seven other portraits for hospital collections.