Milano's Secret Monastery Where Petrarch Stayed Goes Digital

In Milan, the Monastery of San Michele al Dosso has introduced an online digital archive titled 'Oltre le mura,' which allows users to explore its art and history. This initiative, backed by the Fondazione Orsoline di San Carlo ETS and financed through the PNRR and the Italian ministry's TOCC measure, showcases high-resolution images and detailed descriptions of nine significant pieces, such as a replica of Leonardo's 'Vergine delle Rocce,' the 14th-century 'Madonna del Petrarca,' a 1480s fresco depicting the Virgin and Child, and a wooden choir from the 16th century. Established in 1372, the monastery flourished under Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza and served as the Orsoline di San Carlo's headquarters from 1841 to 1843. The archive also features works by artists Pietro Antonio Magatti and Ettore Calvelli.