Giulio Branca

Giulio Branca was born in Cannobio in 1850. He was given his first art lessons at the age of only 11 by the Cannobio sculptor Bergonzoli, who took the young Branca with him to Milan. He then enrolled in the Brera Academy of Art, where he attended classes in nude drawing and sculpture, the latter held by Strazza. He enjoyed his first successes in the seventies (in Vienna in 1873 and Paris in 1878), and in 1880 he attracted the attention of the two most prominent sculptors of the time, Vela and Monteverde, with his work Rosamunda at Alboino’s banquet, now kept at the Museo del Paesaggio. Branca was tireless in his artistic activity, working intensively in Milan and Lombardy, but also in his native town, on memorials, monumental sculptures and portrait busts.
Between 1897 and 1900 he was also involved in the restoration of Como Cathedral.
He died at his house in Milan in 1926.
The Museo del Paesaggio possesses 22 of Giulio Branca’s works, most of which were left to the Museum by the sculptor’s heirs.
Branca started out as a neo-classical sculptor, but later moved towards work in the grand Romantic style, though always with an eye to Realism, finally arriving at a symbolist style with a social background.

Painting section Sculpture section Giulio Branca Arturo Martini Paolo Troubetzkoy Archaeology section Popular Devotion Section	Giulio Branca Giulio Branca was born in Cannobio in 1850. He was given his first art lessons at the age of only 11 by the Cannobio sculptor Bergonzoli, who took the young Branca with him to Milan. He then enrolled in the Brera Academy of Art, where he attended classes in nude drawing and sculpture, the latter held by Strazza. He enjoyed his first successes in the seventies (in Vienna in 1873 and Paris in 1878), and in 1880 he attracted the attention of the two most prominent sculptors of the time, Vela and Monteverde, with his work Rosamunda at Alboino’s banquet, now kept at the Museo del Paesaggio. Branca was tireless in his artistic activity, working intensively in Milan and Lombardy, but also in his native town, on memorials, monumental sculptures and portrait busts. Between 1897 and 1900 he was also involved in the restoration of Como Cathedral. He died at his house in Milan in 1926. The Museo del Paesaggio possesses 22 of Giulio Branca’s works, most of which were left to the Museum by the sculptor’s heirs. Branca started out as a neo-classical sculptor, but later moved towards work in the grand Romantic style, though always with an eye to Realism, finally arriving at a symbolist style with a social background.	Rosamunda at Alboino's banquet, 1878 The chimney sweep's farewell, 1898 The Virgin of Nazareth