Stories from the Life of Saint Charles Borromeo (1910) by Giovanni Beltrami, Giovanni Buffa, Guido Zuccaro and Innocente CantinottiVeneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano
The life of Saint Charles Borromeo
Stained-glass window V26 within Milan Cathedral tells the stories from Saint Charles Borromeo's life. Positioned within the Apse of the northern transept, the stained-glass window was the subject of a complex restoration completed in 2020 by Laura Morandotti, which was made possible thanks to the support of the Cariplo Foundation's Securing Heritage Project.
Within many sections, almost all of the grisaille had fallen off, causing issues with overall reading of the image and, therefore, understanding of the work.
The main reasons that made the restoration intervention necessary were the poor condition of the marble elements, as well as the deterioration of the glazed panels' painted surfaces.
Preliminary study of the sections showed how the stained-glass window had been more than 90% cold-painted. The restoration involved reconstruction of the grisaille to make the episodes readable, as well as cleaning all marble parts.
Grisaille is a blend composed of iron oxide and earth mixed with silica or glass, light silver or gray-brown in color, used to outline the profiles of faces, clothing, and other details.
The stained-glass V26 window consists of four lancets and an upper rose window, with a total of more than 80 sections. It was made in 1910, during the tercentenary of Saint Charles Borromeo's canonization.
A choral work
It is the work of four Milanese artists: Giovanni Beltrami, Giovanni Buffa, Guido Zuccaro and Innocente Cantinotti.
An extraordinary spiritual guide
Saint Charles Borromeo was Archbishop of Milan from 1564 until his death in 1584: he was the promoter of profound renewal—both spiritual and architectural—within Milan Cathedral. The aim of his surge of reformation was to make the Cathedral an exemplar of the Counter-Reformation Church, in line with decrees that had emerged from the Council of Trent. An initiative that was supported by powerful redevelopment works within the Cathedral. Stained-glass window V26 celebrates the life of Borromeo, revisiting several important episodes.
Youth
From the bottom, it's possible to recognize Saint Charles distributing food to the poor of Arona, a work by Giovanni Buffa, as well as the one depictying...
... the Saint meeting with the Vatican Academy.
Innocente Cantinotti instead created the panels depicting the episode Saint Charles is appointed cardinal by the hand of Pope Pius IV...
... while Guido Zuccaro was creator of the sections depicting Saint Charles convening provincial councils and founding religious orders.
The solemn entry into Milan as Archbishop instead is a work by Giovanni Buffa.
The scene depicting St. Charles discussing with the architect Pellegrini the plans for the Cathedral is by Guido Zuccaro.
The last two episodes within the upper part of the stained-glass window V26 bear the signature of Innocente Cantinotti and show Saint Charles helping plague victims...
... and The solemn funeral of the Saint, just below the colorful rose window at the top of the artwork.
Read more on Milan Cathedral Remixed.
