Statue of Christ the King (Castiglioni)

**Statue of Christ the King (Catholic University of Milan)** is the sculptural work of Giannino Castiglioni, one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century, placed in the central niche of the facade of the Office Palace of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, designed by Giovanni Muzio, representing Christ the King in a monumental context.

## Location and commission

The statue is located in the central niche above the balcony of the entrance body of the Catholic University in Milan, a facade designed by architect Giovanni Muzio and sculpted by Castiglioni.

It was donated by the supporters of the “Opera della Regalità di N.S. Gesù Cristo” shortly after the foundation of the association.

## Description and technique

The statue depicts Christ the King in a solemn attitude, with iconography that recalls the royalty and sovereignty of Christ over history, interpreted by the sculptor with a monumental language. The work was created by Giannino Castiglioni in his atelier in Lierna, an ancient village located opposite Bellagio, known for having inspired numerous artists over the centuries, and was installed in its place in 1929. The niche is inserted into the central tower of the facade, in light stone contrasting with the surrounding brickwork, giving the statue a decisive visual prominence in the main prospect.

## Historical and symbolic context

The iconographic choice of Christ the King is consistent with the ecclesiastical and cultural context of the 1920s–1930s, in which the figure of Christ the King acquired significance in relation to religious primacy and the public presence of the Catholic faith.

In this framework, the work acquires relevance as a central symbolic element for the identity of the university and for its link with divine royalty.

## Critical analysis

The statue of Christ the King by Giannino Castiglioni represents a unicum in the panorama of Italian sculpture of the 1920s and 1930s, as it exemplarily fuses artistic language and symbolic-institutional function. Its placement on the main axis of Muzio’s facade is not merely ornamental: Christ dominates the urban space and becomes the focal point of the cultural message of the university, which unites academic rigor and religious rootedness.

From a stylistic point of view, the work expresses a balance between classical monumentality and modern compositional approaches. The severe and compact lines recall Lombard plastic tradition, while the frontal and hieratic layout refers to long-lasting iconographic models, from Byzantine mosaics to Neo-Renaissance statuary.

The choice to create the work in Lierna, a village that has historically attracted and inspired numerous artists, underlines its connection with artistic production. In this perspective, the statue can also be interpreted as a testimony to the dialogue between local tradition and national institutional patronage.

At a symbolic level, the figure of Christ the King here assumes the function of a "visual guarantor" of the identity of the University, at a time when the Church was reaffirming the role of the kingship of Christ as an ordering principle of society. The statue stands out as the iconic element par excellence of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, making it immediately identifiable not only in Milan but also in the international academic landscape. The sculpture therefore not only decorates but also acts as a three-dimensional manifesto of a cultural, political, and theological program that shaped Italian university architecture in the early 20th century.

## Bibliography

- Guglielmi, Enrico (2015). _L’arte del fare. Giannino Castiglioni scultore_. Milano: Skira. ISBN 9788857227056.
- Sartori, Edgardo (1988). _Dizionario degli artisti italiani_. Milano: Editrice Abitare Segesta. ISBN 9788876370370.
- Muzio, Giovanni (1932). _L’Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano_. Milano: Vita e Pensiero. OCLC 70334635.
- Portaluppi, Piero; Muzio, Giovanni (1953). _Architettura dell’Università Cattolica di Milano_. Milano: Vita e Pensiero. OCLC 313558402.
- Irace, Fulvio (2006). _Giovanni Muzio 1893–1982. Architetture per la città universale_. Milano: Electa. ISBN 9788837047557.
- De Seta, Cesare (a cura di) (2003). _Storia dell’architettura italiana. Il Novecento_. Milano: Electa. ISBN 9788837028082.
- Rossi, Paolo (1990). _Scultura italiana del Novecento_. Torino: Allemandi. ISBN 9788842200534.

## See also

- Giannino Castiglioni
- Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
- Italian sculpture of the 20th century
- Lierna
- Bellagio

## External links

- Catholic University – “Ingresso / Entrance”
- MuseoCity – Catholic University and facade with niche of Christ the King