This artwork was one of Cardinal Federico’s favourites, and he wanted it to be shown very prominently in the Ambrosiana collection. In his treatise Musaeum published in 1625, a fundamental document for the history of the original collection, Borromeo himself stated that the model for this panel was the cartoon by Leonardo, now in the National Gallery in London, from which Luini possibly made a partial tracing. To the composition made by the Tuscan genius, Luini added the figure of Saint Joseph to the left of the Virgin.
From December 1st until the end of January, the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana hosts a widespread exhibition of nativity scenes, coming from the Museo del Presepio of Dalmine
Closed for holidays from December 7 to 11 and from December 27, 2022 to January 6, 2023 included
An art installation consisting of twenty-one drawings for twenty-one refined jewels, corresponding to twenty-one characters from Raphael's cartoon. Curated by Alberto Rocca and Arnaldo Colasanti.
