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.MuseoCity – “Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore”: facade and niche with statue of Christ the King

 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.ArchInform – Catholic University of Milan project: facade with niche and statue of Christ the King  

It was donated by the supporters of the “Opera della Regalità di N.S. Gesù Cristo” shortly after the foundation of the association.Catholic University – Paths and stories > Entrance: statue of Christ the King donated by the adherents of the Opera della Regalità  

 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.MuseoCity – description of the facade with niche containing the statue

 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.Catholic University – paths and stories: statue of Christ the King  

 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.  

 Notes 


 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

Category:Outdoor sculptures in Milan
Category:1929 sculptures
Category:Stone sculptures in Italy
Category:Religious sculptures in Italy
Category:Works by Giannino Castiglioni
Category:Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
Category:Statues of Jesus