A 15th century statue that once stood outside Milan\u2019s iconic Duomo has found a new home.<\/p>\n
Bearded Saint with Book<\/em> was recently restored under the \u201cAdopt a Statue\u201d programme, launched in 2020 by the centuries-old institution that oversees the cathedral\u2019s conservation. It is now on display behind a glass window at the headquarters of transport company FNM in central Milan\u2019s Cadorna Square.<\/p>\n The programme recruits donors \u2013 companies or individuals \u2013 to fund the restoration of a statue under a loan agreement that allows it to occasionally be displayed outside the Duomo.<\/p>\n \u201cStatues that would otherwise remain in our deposits are restored and brought back to their original beauty,\u201d says Elisa Mantia, the programme\u2019s project manager. \u201cIn that way, they can continue to tell the story of the Duomo even in places that are far from the monument.\u201d<\/p>\n These agreements are in some cases granted for an initial one-year term and may be renewed. The initiative follows previous fundraising campaigns in which donors could adopt gargoyles or spires in exchange for inclusion in the Duomo\u2019s donor register, where contributors\u2019 names are recorded as part of the cathedral\u2019s long history of support.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Milan\u2019s](\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/02\/17\/dc65d50f-1329-4242-a258-2a90a0aa21d4_1c8521c8.jpg\" "\\"Milan\u2019s")
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