Story of Saints Gervasius and Protasius
Life and death of the two saints brother told in Milan Duomo stained-glass window
Stories of Saints Gervasius and Protasius (1846/1849) by Giovanni Battista BertiniVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Stories of St. Gervasius and Protasius
Stained-glass window V09 of Milan Cathedral was created by Giovanni Battista Bertini between 1846 and 1849, assisted by his son Giuseppe.
Altar of Pope Pius IVVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
The window is located in the Cathedral's southern transept, right above the funerary monument dedicated to Gian Giacomo Medici, known as "Medeghino", on the right side of this photo.
Monument to Gian Giacomo Medici, detail (1564)Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Marquis of Melegnano, a captain of fortune and mercenary leader, his brother Pope Pius IV commissioned the work in his memory in 1560 from the sculptor Leone Leoni (1509–1590).
Monument to Gian Giacomo Medici, detailVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Leone Leoni, the artist, was known as the Aretine, because his father was a native of Arezzo, in Tuscany.
Peace in the Monument to Gian Giacomo Medici (1564)Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
The monument, in white marble, is embellished by the mixed columns and has a bronze statue in the center depicting the Medeghino, flanked by the personifications of Peace and the Militia.
Militia in the Monument to Gian Giacomo Medici (1564)Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
Stories of Saints Gervasius and Protasius (1846/1849) by Giovanni Battista BertiniVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
The panels within the stained-glass window above the Medeghino monument recount episodes from the life of the brothers Gervasius and Protasius, sons of Saints Vitale and Valeria, united in Christian faith and martyrdom.
Gervasius and Protasius suffered martyrdom in Milan in the middle of the third century. The stained-glass window opens right in the upper part with the depiction of the killing of the two twins.
They were killed because they did not want to sacrifice to the gods, remaining faithful to Christianity. Flogging and beheading awaited them. According to some sources, Gervasius was killed with whiplash...
... while poor Protasius was beheaded.
It was St. Ambrose himself who found the bodies of the two martyrs, an episode depicted within the panels, key moment in this artwork.
The incident had great resonance: when Saint Ambrose arranged for the bodies to be moved, the entire citizenry saw this, and took part with great dutifulness.
The scenes are developed over double sets of panels. The neo-Gothic style pervades the entire stained-glass window, the colors are calm, and decorative flower motifs can be seen.
Two central figures, a reference to the martyrdom, accompany the observer's gaze towards the upper part of the stained-glass window.
Read more on Milan Cathedral Remixed.
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