Ezechiele Acerbi (1850-1920) - Ritratto dell'Ingegnere Peppino Franchi Maggi

Interesting work by Pavia painter Ezechiele Acerbi (Pavia, April 10, 1850 – Pavia, February 20, 1920) skillfully painted in oil on canvas in good condition.
The piece measures 66x50 cm.
The frame is original from the period.
The painting depicts Peppino Franchi Maggi who was born in Pavia on September 15, 1890, son of Emilio and Bianca Casorati. He studied at the Ugo Foscolo Classical High School and graduated in Engineering from the Royal Higher Technical Institute (the future Politecnico di Milano) in September 1912. He then became a surveying assistant at the same Polytechnic, having been called to perform military service in the Royal Army, assigned to the Engineers' Corps, on July 20, 1913. In December of the same year, he was placed on indefinite provisional leave. With Italy's entry into the war approaching, he was recalled to active duty at the time of the general mobilization in May 1915, with the rank of temporary second lieutenant, assigned to the 16th sapper company of the 1st Engineer Regiment. His unit was deployed on the Trentino front and he participated in numerous actions to create openings in enemy trenches using wire cutters and jelly tubes. During an operation at Bosco di Varagna on August 25, he sustained a severe wound to his left arm, resulting in the partial amputation of the limb, and for this act, he was awarded a Bronze Medal for Military Valor. Although no longer able to serve at the front, he refused discharge and requested to return to service in the front lines. Promoted to the rank of lieutenant in May 1916, he was assigned to command the 100th Company of the 1st Engineer Regiment, fighting in Carnia, on the Isonzo front, and at Bainsizza until November, when he was hospitalized.
Returning to active service in March 1917, he remained in the rear until April 1918, when he departed for France as part of the II Army Corps under General Alberico Albricci. Called to serve at the command of the 8th Division, he distinguished himself during the German offensive in July of the following year, when he carried out a daring reconnaissance for which he was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government. Assigned as an officer liaison with the 20th Infantry Regiment, he was tasked with verifying whether enemy troops had abandoned their positions on the left bank of the Aisne River. At dawn on September 29, he went to the front line and, commanding a nucleus of daring men from the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion, positioned himself on the eastern bank of Pont-Arcy in search of a ford to cross. While standing and looking for the best position to ford the river, he was struck dead by a machine gun burst. On September 30, his body was buried with a solemn ceremony at the Ferme de Chery-Chartreuve cemetery. In his memory, he was first awarded the Silver Medal for Military Valor, later converted to the Gold Medal.
Work of historical and artistic significance.
Provenance collection Ing. Franchi Maggi
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