Federico Borromeo considered this beautiful painting as “one of the dearest things I possess”. It has been suggested that he kept it in his study in the archbishop’s palace, and indeed it entered the Ambrosiana collection only after his death. There have been long discussions about the authorship of the work, but it has recently been affirmed that “the definition of autograph replica for the Milan specimen is the most appropriate”. An identical painting, probably the original version seen by Federico Borromeo, is now in the Museo del Prado in Madrid and it was donated in 1605 to Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain, by Francesco Maria Della Rovere, Duke of Urbino. It is interesting to note how there is a total lack of any natural or artificial source of light, since the entire scene is flooded with divine light that radiates from the face of the Infant Jesus, just as we are told in one of the apocryphal gospels.
Every Saturday at 15.30 a guided tour of the masterpieces of the Pinacoteca, together with professional guides of our official partner AdArtem
Opening hours of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana and of the San Sepolcro Crypt for the upcoming holidays
From April 6 to May 9 2023 the Crypt of San Sepolcro hosts the exhibition “Oliviero Rainaldi. 2023 AD”, an exhibition that traces the life of Christ in five episodes, birth, infancy, martyrdom, death and resurrection.
The Archbishop of Milan, His Excellency Mons. Mario Delpini, has appointed Msgr. Marco Maria Navoni Prefect of the College of Fellows of the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana with effect from 27 February 2023.
Rooms 2 and 3, the exhibition is the first in a series dedicated to showing us what is not normally displayed, for a wider enhancement of the Institution's heritage.
Crypt of San Sepolcro open until April 2 2023, every Saturday and Sunday from 11.00 to 17.30 | last access 17.00
