The Portrait Hotel was once one of Europe’s oldest seminaries for Catholic priests.
Portrait Milano
Summer visitors to Milan, Italy, now have the opportunity to visit a time-limited art installation in the storied courtyard of the Portrait Milano hotel, located just steps from Milan’s Fashion District.
Portrait Milano, the flagship property of the Lungarno Collection, commissioned Italian artist Agostino Iacurci to create a larger-than-life garden in its courtyard featuring eight modern sculptures.
One of Agostino Iacurci’s colorful sculptures at Portrait Milano
Portrait Milano
The exhibit’s boldly colored sculptures stand in stark contrast to the muted backdrop of the gray and beige cloister walls of what once was a 16th-century seminary.
Named Arcipelago Botanico, the project comprises individual art pieces that collectively form a magical garden.
Converting A Private Space Into A Public Square
Drone view of the Piazza del Quadrilatero
Portrait Milano
The Ferragamo family (known for the luxury brand) entered into a long-term lease agreement with the Archdiocese of Milan for the historic property, which had been neglected for decades and was no longer in use. Collaborating with architects Michele De Lucchi and Michele Bonan, they began restoring it, transforming one of Europe’s oldest seminaries into a luxurious five-star hotel.
Dedicated to the training of Catholic priests, the Archbishop’s seminary was designed to insulate the men from the world outside so they could pray, meditate and form a community.
As part of the reconceptualized use of the space within the cloister walls, the architects created a massive, 30,200-square-foot square called Piazza del Quadrilatero, which would be open to the public.
The public square is surrounded by upscale boutiques and eateries tucked beneath 17th-century stone arches. The piazza offers open-air seating for hotel guests, visitors and locals, and hosts seasonal events including art installations, like this one, and fashion shows.
The architects also opened up a path for pedestrians through a Baroque archway between the luxury Milanese fashion streets, Corso Venezia and Via S. Andrea, so locals and guests could stroll through the courtyard and enjoy its beauty year-round.
The Summer Garden Conceptualized By Iacurci
Another view of Arcipelago Botanico
Portrait Milano
The inspiration for Iacurci’s Arcipelago Botanico derived from an old lithograph of the seminary’s historic courtyard gardens surrounded by palm trees and ornamental shrubs. His playful handcrafted sculptures reimagine the ancient garden through a contemporary lens.
They complement the natural greenery of the piazza’s camphor trees, magnolias and camellias that were created when the hotel opened in 2022.
Educated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, Agostino Iacurci is a multidisciplinary artist known globally for his paintings, murals, drawings and site-specific installations. His work has been exhibited at museums and galleries in Europe, the U.S. and Asia. In addition, his murals grace many buildings, schools and metro stations around the world.
In this singular installation, the artist links the past and the present, and makes art more accessible to the public.
A Sanctuary From The Streets
This is a unique opportunity for visitors to Milan this summer to enjoy a respite from the steamy streets, relax in the photogenic piazza, perhaps grab a snack, meal, or drink at the hotel’s all-day restaurant 10_11 (which features an outdoor terrace), or indulge in a refreshing artisanal granita under the shade of the portico.
This installation at Portrait Milano will be on view in the courtyard until August 31, 2026.