The Standard of the City of Milan with Saint Ambrose in the Castello Sforzesco Museum in Milan in Italy

Standard of Milan

Giuseppe Meda, Scipione Delfinone, Camillo Pusterla “Banner of the City of Milan with Saint Ambrose”

Tapestry - Gold thread, Silver, Silk (590 x 398 cm) 1567

The creation of the Milan standard, the “Gonfalone di Milano”, was first entrusted in 1546 to the embroiderer Gerolamo Delfinone based on a Ferrari design.

However, his work was not satisfactory, as the colour of the characters' skin was not correctly rendered according to the sponsors.

In 1563, the work was entrusted to the painter Carlo Urbini with the collaboration of the embroiderer Bartolomeo Rainone.

Again, this work was no more satisfactory than the previous one.

Standard of Milan A competition was therefore organized for the creation of the Milan standard.

In 1565, the embroiderers Scipione Delfinone (son of Gerolamo Delfinone) and Camillo Pusterla were chosen to create the standard, this time based on a new design, that of Giuseppe Meda.

They finished their work in 1567.

The banner comprises four pieces embroidered with gold and silver threads and colours.

At the centre of the standard, Saint Ambrose, in charge of his spiritual mission, shows his authority by holding the whip in one hand and his bishop's crook topped with the lamb in the other.

Standard of Milan At his feet, two defeated Arian soldiers lying on the ground symbolize the victory of Saint Ambrose over the heretical doctrine of Arius, which placed Jesus the Son under the dominion of the Father, thereby denying his divine essence.

Saint Ambrose poses majestically under the Triumphal Arch, whose sides represent the four main episodes of his life: the miracle of the bees, Saint Ambrose who stops Theodosius the Great at the entrance of the temple, a virgin who tempts Saint Ambrose in vain, and Saint Ambrose's tribute to the ambassadors sent by the Queen of the Marcomans.

The bottom of the banner shows three times the coat of arms of Milan with a red cross on a white background, as well as those of other cities belonging to the duchy.

Standard of Milan