Piazza degli Affari is a public square in Milan’s financial district, in front of Palazzo Mezzanotte, the headquarters of the Italian Stock Exchange. Its main draw is Maurizio Cattelan’s L.O.V.E., an 11-metre marble hand with all but its middle finger folded into a fist. Installed in 2010, the sculpture confronts the stock exchange with a pointed gesture. Look closely at the hand and the buildings around it, then visit after dark for the square’s dramatic lighting.
L.O.V.E. in front of the stock exchange
The square is best known for L.O.V.E., a marble sculpture by Maurizio Cattelan placed here in 2010. Its official title is formed from the Italian words Libertà, Odio, Vendetta, Eternità, meaning freedom, hate, vengeance and eternity. The work shows a monumental hand with its fingers folded, apart from the middle finger.
The gesture is deliberately provocative. Its position directly in front of the Italian Stock Exchange makes the relationship between sculpture and setting part of the work. The scale recalls an ancient Roman colossus, and the hand’s other fingers appear severed rather than simply bent.
Palazzo Mezzanotte and the square’s earlier history
Palazzo Mezzanotte, the stock exchange headquarters facing the sculpture, was built in 1932 by architect Paolo Mezzanotte as a trading house for cash and securities. The building stands above the foundations and some remains of a Roman theatre from Roman Mediolanum. These remains can be visited beneath the stock exchange.
FAQ
What does L.O.V.E. stand for?
The title refers to Libertà, Odio, Vendetta, Eternità, or freedom, hate, vengeance and eternity in Italian.
Where is the L.O.V.E. sculpture?
It stands in Piazza degli Affari, directly in front of Palazzo Mezzanotte, the Italian Stock Exchange headquarters.
Can you visit Roman remains at Piazza degli Affari?
Some foundations and ruins of a Roman theatre lie beneath Palazzo Mezzanotte, and they can be visited.
