The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, a visit to the absolute masterpieces of Art

The inestimable wealth of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana

The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, elegant, discreet, hidden from the gaze of tourists, unhesitatingly deserves a guided tour. Overlooking Piazza Pio XI, as well as the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, which completes it, it is one of Milan’s three major picture galleries, along with that of Brera and that of Castello Sforzesco. It was the crowning achievement of Cardinal Federico Borromeo, who designed a very modern cultural complex to house his collections in the early 17th century. The ancient halls of the Biblioteca and Pinacoteca Ambrosiana have since then been a true temple of art and knowledge, rich in paintings, sculptures, books, manuscripts and ancient objects, the heritage of the cultures of all times. Today, thanks to numerous donations, the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana ‘s holdings amount to more than one thousand five hundred works of art, harmoniously integrated into the architectural spaces of the palace. In terms of variety and value, the Ambrosiana’s collections have very little to envy to the museums of the main European capitals: during the tour our licensed tour guides will be able to select the most remarkable rooms and masterpieces, leading you to discover the greatest treasures kept in this wonderful treasure chest.

A visit among the masterpieces of the collection of Cardinal Federico Borromeo

Our visit to the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana begins with the superb masterpieces in Cardinal Federico’s collection: the Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio, countless other paintings by great masters such as Titian, Botticelli or the painters of the Lombard Renaissance, from Bramantino to Bernardino Luini. Recently restored, Raphael’s preparatory cartoon for the fresco of the School of Athens is now at the center of a room that has been completely renovated in its layout and digital supports at the service of visitors: the encounter with the majestic characters of Raphael’s scene, steeped in Romanity, will undoubtedly know how to fascinate you! Past the colorful masterpieces of the Flemish seventeenth century, a riot of shapes, flowers and colors, here we are in a few steps at theLeonardi Hall, where we will admire the famous Musico by Leonardo da Vinci and the important paintings by artists who were inspired by Leonardo, brought together in this one section. Next door, in the Federiciana Hall, an ancient reading room of the Ambrosiana Library, we will have the opportunity to look closely at some 20 drawings from the famous Codex Atlanticus, the largest and most amazing collection of Leonardo’s folios. An exceptional exhibition, created for the 2015 Universal Exposition, which still features some of the celebrated drawings by the genius of Vinci on a rotating basis… A real treat for us visitors! You should know that the Codex Atlanticus, so called because of the “atlantic” format of its pages, is a large volume collected in the late 16th century by the sculptor Pompeo Leoni. Leoni collected more than 1,700 writings and drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, a veritable “atlas” to orient us among the thousands of inventions and works of art that Leonardo imagined or sometimes actually created during his career. Pages that embrace every aspect of the intellectual pursuit of Leonardo da Vinci’s genius, ranging from botany to astronomy, from mechanics to urban planning and architecture, without neglecting studies on war devices and machines to probe the waters of the sea or the sky, in flight.

The Ambrosiana between mysteries and legends

Not only art! For fans of noir and mystery inside Milan’s Pinacoteca Ambrosiana hide many enigmatic objects that tell legendary stories and curiosities. During the guided tour our professional guide will be able to draw your attention, for example, to the dagger that, according to tradition, killed the Duke of Milan Galeazzo Maria Sforza on Boxing Day 1476: legend or reality? Also on display in the museum rooms, enclosed in a glass, bronze and malachite case, is a real relic, a lock of the blond hair of Lucrezia Borgia, one of the most beautiful and unscrupulous women of the entire Renaissance! Whether you want to listen to the tales hidden behind the Ambrosiana’s strangest objects or are eager to admire the great masterpieces of the picture gallery, do not miss the opportunity to cross the threshold of this temple of Milanese knowledge: a “treasure chest” that only deserves to be discovered and told!