Restoration of the monumental statues by Leone Lodi in Torviscosa

The monumental statues by Leone Lodi in front of the entrance to the SPIN establishment in Torviscosa were commissioned by the SNIA from this Lombardy sculptor in 1938 and now thanks to an intervention by Bracco Foundation have a new life.

The monumental statues by Leone Lodi in front of the entrance to the SPIN establishment in Torviscosa were commissioned by the SNIA from this Lombardy sculptor in 1938 and now thanks to an intervention by Bracco Foundation have a new life.

After completing the computerisation of the impressive historical archive of the SNIA - Viscosa in 2016, Bracco Foundation renewed in 2017 its commitment to the Fruili territory that houses one of the most important Bracco Group establishments, with an intervention of great artistic value on the statues in travertine by the sculptor Leone Lodi.

These sculptures were commissioned by the Snia from the Lombardy artist in the spring of 1938. The work was carried out in Lombardy and then transported, assembled and completed in Torviscosa a few days before the inauguration of the factory on September 21, 1938. The two groups of sculptures representing and celebrating agriculture and industry were seriously damaged during bombing in February 1945 and had been restored in 1946.

The restoration brought to light important historical and artistic facts. According to Doctor Michela Scannerini (Esedra srl) “during the restoration after the bombing some important original parts were replaced and this was done by an expert hand, probably by Leone Lodi himself.”

Bracco Foundation, in collaboration with the Leone Lodi Association published the book “Leone Lodi’s stone creatures", edited by Chiara Gatti, to offer a new way of discovering in Italy the monumental sculptures by this artist. The book was presented on November 17, 2017 in Milan during Bookcity, and on July 12, 2018 in Torviscosa.
At the end of the presentation on July 12, 2018, the photographic exhibition “Leone Lodi in Torviscosa. Reality and metaphysics”was inaugurated. With many photographs and archive material, the two cultural initiatives were developed in collaboration with the municipality of Torviscosa as part of the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the city, which grew up at the same time as the large production site for cellulose in fibre in 1938.