Casa Boschi Di Stefano: an art collection in the heart of Milan
When engineer Boschi died in the late 1980s, he left the city of Milan one of the most beautiful and richest art collections ever assembled.
Deciding to give the City of Milan over 2,000 paintings and sculptures by twentieth-century artists was not easy. Years earlier, he and his wife Marieda began selecting masterpieces with great passion and love for art.
The origins of the collection
In truth, before meeting Marieda Di Stefano in the 1920s, engineer Antonio Boschi was not attached to the figurative arts. His passion was music, especially violins. After meeting Marieda, a sculptor and lover of contemporary art, he became like her, an art addict. In 1927, he got married to Marieda, and together they began a splendid collection.
The apartment and the cultural context
The couple moved into an elegant apartment in the 1930s. The building’s beautiful exterior reveals much about the couple’s refined aesthetic sensibility. Architect Piero Portaluppi designed it; he became a star of the period and also gained fame for building the Milan Planetarium and a splendid villa for the Necchi Campiglio family.
That apartment, now open to visitors free of charge, became a small cultural hub. There, the couple formed strong friendships with young artists. Many were then still unknown. Painters often met in the living room with Antonio and Marieda Boschi Di Stefano to discuss life, art, and more.
An extraordinary collection
It’s surprising how the couple discerned the breadth of an artist’s talent, even when the artist was still unknown. They frequently purchased artists’ works to support them financially, but they also displayed exceptional flair as art critics.
The collection features some of art’s greatest names. Most works are by Lucio Fontana, Mario Sironi, and Giorgio Morandi, with whom they had a deep friendship. The list of artists is much more extensive.
Many works have been moved, for logistical reasons, to a larger museum, the Museo del 900. Yet Marieda and Antonio’s apartment still captivates visitors as they enter their home. One can find the space and the grandeur of the collection striking.
Don’t miss a visit to the Boschi di Stefano home. Their story and passion for art fill each room with the boundless love that defined their lives and legacy.
