The Holy Family

Formerly attributed to the more famous Carlo Francesco Nuvolone, this painting is now acknowledged as the work of his brother Giuseppe. It was donated to the church of San Sepolcro by Cardinal Alfonso Litta, Archbishop of Milan from 1652 to 1679, before entering the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. The Madonna, with the Child in her lap, stands out in the foreground, partly through the use of brilliant colours, while the ageing Saint Joseph, in softer tones, pensively contemplates the scene from behind.