Pinacoteca Ambrosiana
Local Cardinal Federico Borromeo founded this library (of some 36,000 manuscripts and over 750,000 prints) and painting gallery in Milan in 1603 after a formative time spent in Rome’s artistic circles. It was (and is) a place in which to study theological issues via academic tomes and works of art, a truly Renaissance mix of religion, intellectualism and aesthetics. There are paintings by such greats as Tiepolo, Francesco Hayez and Jan Brueghel.
Piazza Pio XI 2 • 02 806 921 • www.ambrosiana.it • 10am–6pm (last adm 5:30pm) Tue–Sun • Adm €15, concessions €10
1. Botticelli’s Madonna del Padiglione
Angels pull back a rich canopy to reveal a scene of Mary and Jesus in a pastoral setting. This work dates from the 1490s, after Botticelli’s religious crisis turned him from the famed mythological scenes of his brilliant youth.
2. Leonardo’s Portrait of a Musician
This portrait, quasi-Flemish in pose and detail, yet glowing with a sense of human psychology typical of Leonardo, has been said to depict various individuals, but it most likely represents a musician of the Sforza court. It is almost certainly by Leonardo, but probably retouched over the years.
3. Leonardo’s Codex Atlantico
Reproductions of pages from these oversized tomes reside inside glass-topped tables. They are filled with Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches.
4. Titian’s Adoration of the Magi
This courtly tumble of the three kings kissing the toes of baby Jesus in his manger was part of Federico Borromeo’s original collection, a complex work from 1560 that the cardinal described as “a school for painters”.
5. Luini’s Holy Family
If this looks familiar, it is because, especially early on, Luini was almost slavishly devoted to the manner of his master Leonardo da Vinci, and in fact this painting is based on a famous drawing by Leonardo.
6. Bassano’s Rest on the Flight into Egypt
The Venetian master Jacopo Bassano was turning to a densely coloured palette, rich in contrasting tones, when he produced this work in 1547.
7. Raphael’s Cartoon for School of Athens
This is the preparatory drawing for Raphael’s famous fresco of Greek philosophers with the faces of Renaissance artists.
8. Caravaggio’s Basket of Fruit
This still life was probably acquired from Caravaggio by the cardinal during his Roman sojourn. The painting shows how Caravaggio was, even at the age of 25, perfecting the hyperrealism he would soon apply to large canvases and more complex scenes.
9. Bril’s Landscape with St Paul
This is the most dramatic of the over half-dozen Bril works on display, showcasing how Bril managed to work with the early 17th-century’s most popular sacred scenes but set them in his beloved, intricately executed landscape form.
10. Bambaia’s Detail from the Tomb of Gaston de Foix
The Milanese sculptor Bambaia carved this series of small marble panels with delicate figures surrounded by military accoutrements and mythological creatures, all in extraordinary high relief. This is but a part of the work; most of the monument is in the Castello Sforzesco.
Raphael’s Revelation
In the final School of Athens fresco, Michelangelo (depicted as Heraclitus) lounges on the central steps. Raphael only added him when, halfway through painting, he got a glimpse of the Sistine Chapel and was deeply impressed.
Tip: Just around the corner from the gallery, on Via Spadari, you will find Peck, one of Italy’s best food emporia and oversized tavole calde (bars).
