Milan in the 1840s (2)

Giovanni Migliara (1785 – April 18, 1837)

View of the Façade of Milan Cathedral – View of the Cathedral Square in Milan

1819 -1828

Oil on paper mounted on canvas

47 x 61 cm

Cariplo Foundation, Gallerie di Piazza Scala,  Milan

Giulio Rossi 1824–1884

View of the Cathedral Square in Milan

1845 - 1850

Oil on canvas

33 x 40,5 cm

Cariplo Foundation, Gallerie di Piazza Scala,  Milan

The works illustrate the Cathedral before the urban clearance and redevelopment undertaken in the second half of the 19th century. 

It was this cityscape which greeted John Henry Newman and Ambrose St John when they came to Milan for five weeks in 1846 on their way to Rome. It was a year after their conversion to Catholicism

Some of the sights and churches which they may have seen are below

Giovanni Sagantini (1858–1899)

The Choir of the Church of Sant’Antonio Abate  in Milan

1879

Oil on canvas

119 x 85,5 cm

Fondazione Cariplo, Gallerie di Piazza Scala,  Milan

Donato Bramante

Santa Maria presso San Satiro (1478), Milan

Donato Bramante

Santa Maria presso San Satiro (1478), Milan

Atrium, San Ambrogio, Milan

They had both converted to the Roman Catholic faith and were on their way to Rome to ascertain and be directed as to how they could serve the faith

Newman and St John appear to have been enthralled by the city

Part of the reason for Newman  was the city`s connections with the Early Fathers: St Ambrose and St Augustine in particular, as well as  with Saints Monica and Athanasius

In a letter to J Walker on 14th October 1846 Newman wrote:

In another letter to J D Dalgairns on 18 October 1846, he noted in particular the great devotion everywhere to St Charles Borromeo