The Wandering Horse: Milan's Hidden Leonardo Sculpture

A monumental bronze horse sculpture by Nina Akamu, based on Leonardo da Vinci's unrealized design for Francesco Sforza, stands largely ignored at Milan's San Siro racetrack. The 7-meter-tall work, created in 1999, is a copy of the original at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Leonardo's original clay model, completed in 1493, was destroyed by French soldiers in 1499. The bronze intended for casting was diverted to Ercole d'Este. The project was revived in 1977 by philanthropist Charles Dent, who founded Leonardo da Vinci's Horse, Inc. After Dent's death in 1994, supermarket magnate Frederik Meijer commissioned Akamu in 1997. The Milan copy was placed at the Ippodromo Snai under the Albertini administration, a decision criticized as uninspired. Various relocation proposals have been made, including to the Darsena (2014), Corso Sempione (architect Alvaro Siza, 2008), Castello Sforzesco, Palazzo Reale, and Brera district. The sculpture remains underappreciated compared to its US counterpart, which attracted 750,000 visitors between 2015 and 2017. The article argues for a more prominent location, especially ahead of Milano-Cortina 2026.