Saint Charles in Glory

Giovanni Battista Crespiaround 1615

Details

Title: Saint Charles in Glory
Creator Lifespan: 1615
Creator Nationality: Italian
Creator Gender: Male
Creator Death Place: Milan
Creator Birth Place: Romagnano Sesia, Novara
Date: around 1615
Provenance: Archbishop's Picture Gallery, Monti Collection
Physical Dimensions: w26.1 x h49.4 cm
Painter: Giovan Battista Crespi detto il Cerano
Description: This small panel, which became part of the Archbishop’s Picture Gallery in 1689 as a bequest of Cardinal Federico Visconti, is considered one of the masterpieces of Cerano. It is the only replica of his altarpiece of San Gottardo in Corte in Milan, from 1610, that is definitely his work. The altarpiece is considered to be the oldest representation of the theme of St. Charles in Glory, perhaps used as a standard in the celebrations for the canonization of the saint. The preparatory sketch, also by Cerano, is preserved in the Borromeo collection on the Isola Bella. Besides the estimated value of this prototype for both Morazzone and Procaccini, the Diocesan Museum panel is one of Cerano’s most interesting works in terms of ideology, which here is closely related to the rules imposed by the Council of Trent. With its exceptionally high quality and the great finesse of its execution, the painting can be chronologically placed near the autumn of 1610.
Type: painting
Rights: © Archivio fotografico Museo Diocesano, Milano
Medium: Oil on panel

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