Scuola Dell'umanitaria Milano Biography
The Humane Society has a historical link with the world of art and design: since the early years of the 20th century, the organization has contributed significantly to the development of the arts applied to industry. Thanks to the creation of laboratory schools in the industrial crafts sector, the Humane Society promoted furnishing competitions for workers' homes (in 1905) and created the first Lombard exhibition of applied art in 1919. In 1922 the The University of Decorative Arts of Monza, organizer of the international biennials of decorative art, from which the Milan Triennale was born. This important institution has contributed significantly to making Milan one of the most important capitals of international design.
The teaching staff was made up of the best artists and masters of the time. For example, in the School of Applied Arts in Industry in 1903, Alessandro Mazzucotelli (specialized in wrought iron), Eugenio Monti (expert in furniture and woodworking), Emilio Quadrelli (sculptor, plastic teacher), Edgardo Saronni ( expert in goldsmithing), Luigi Rossi (decoration) and Giovanni Buffa (artistic stained glass windows). In the Book School of 1904, dedicated to the training of typographers, graphic designers, illustrators, photocomposers, hand decorators and engravers, one could follow lessons from important figures such as Leopoldo Metlicovitz, Edoardo Lacroix, Guido Marussig, Raffaello Bertieri. After the Second World War, the school also opened up to teaching photography, communication and advertising. In this period, experts of the caliber of Albe Steiner, Max Huber, Bob Noorda, Paolo Monti, Enzo Mari, Bruno Munari, Michele Provinciali also took turns.
Following the ideas and intentions expressed in the Free Art Manifesto, the Humanitarian Society continues its mission of artistic promotion and diffusion. It organizes debates, artistic events, photographic exhibitions and exhibitions of works by young artists, always remaining in dialectics with contemporaneity.
