In Roman numerals on the fragment of stone at the bottom right we see the date when Giovan Battista Moroni finished this portrait: 1554. It shows a gentleman, full-length, leaning on the plinth of a column, on which we see a Latin phrase taken from Horace: Impavidum ferient ruinae (“Ruins would strike him undismayed”). This motto has made it possible to make a hypothesis about the identity of the sitter: it might be Michel de l’Hospital, the representative of the King of France at the Tridentine Council (1547-1548), who did indeed use this phrase from Horace as his own personal motto, even though it was fairly common in sixteenth-century France. The painting is remarkable for its attention to detail, from the sitter’s garments through to the subtle play of shadows.
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
