The “Bearded Saint with book”
is now exhibited in front of Piazzale Cadorna in Milan
During 2022 FNM adopted the statue of Saint Abdon as part of the fundraising initiative “Adopt a Statue” created with the aim of giving new life to several original statues from the Duomo of Milan that, for conservation reasons, were removed from the Cathedral and placed in storage at the Cantiere Marmisti (marble yard) of Veneranda Fabbrica.
On February 13, 2026, FNM renewed its commitment to the Duomo by choosing to restore and make accessible once again another statue, the “Bearded Saint with book” The statue now replaces Saint Abdon and overlooks the square of Milano Cadorna railway station, watching over the passersby and travelers who move each day through one of the most important transport hubs in the city center.
The statue was unveiled during a ceremony attended, among others, by the President of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana, the President of FNM, Andrea Gibelli, and the President of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo, Fedele Confalonieri.
The statue
Dating back to the mid-15th century and attributed to an unidentified sculptor, the statue depicts an elderly man with a long beard, wearing a monk’s habit whose cloak envelops the figure also at the front. In his hand he holds an open book, an attribute traditionally reserved for Saints and Prophets.
The circular base recalls other well-known and celebrated examples of Humanist sculpture from the Sforza period. The complete absence of inscriptions on the statue prevents a more precise identification. Its particular dimensions may suggest an original placement on an altar inside the Duomo; however, its condition prior to restoration indicates that it was later positioned on the exterior of the Cathedral, in a location protected from the weathering agents. The work was exposed during the exhibition “EXEMPLA 1976. Artigianato ed ecologia,” an international crafts fair held in Munich, then still in a state of deterioration, in order to highlight the delicate and demanding task undertaken by the artisans of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo in preserving the Cathedral’s artistic heritage.
A task that the institution continues to carry out today with great dedication and passion, so as to pass on to future generations the knowledge and appreciation of the vast historical and artistic heritage of the Milan Cathedral.
For further information:
Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Donations Office
Via Carlo Maria Martini, 1 20122 Milano
Tel.: +39 02.89096554
Email: [email protected]
