Portraits of Inequalities Pittura di classe

The exhibition, curated by Giovanni Agosti and Jacopo Stoppa, narrates the extraordinary story of the Milanese Ca' Granda institution by displaying a gallery featuring artist portraits of its principal benefactors. In Milan, there is a unique collection of over nine hundred portraits depicting the benefactors of the Ospedale Maggiore, unmatched elsewhere in terms of quantity. This series started in the late 16th century and continues to grow today. The cohesion of this collection, owned by the hospital administration, serves as a case study for reflecting on how privileged classes have chosen to be represented over the centuries in the act of charity towards the less fortunate. An agreement with the Fondazione Policlinico, which has enhanced this heritage over the years—leading even to the creation of a museum—has made this installation in the Impluvium of the Triennale possible. The exhibition features around fifty portraits of men and women from the 17th to the 20th century, the largest loan of such works since the historic exhibition curated by Giovanni Testori in 1981, La Ca’ Granda.