Federico Borromeo

Federico Borromeo was an Italian cardinal, Archbishop of Milan, and prominent figure of the Counter-Reformation in Italy. His acts of charity, particularly during the famine of 1627–28, and his devoted heroism in the plague of 1630 are well known from the account in Alessandro Manzoni’s novel The Betrothed. He was a great patron of the arts and founded the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, one of the first free public libraries in Europe. In 1618 he added a picture gallery to the library, donating his own considerable collection of paintings. Borromeo’s published works, mainly in Latin and numbering over 100, exhibit his interest in ecclesiastical archaeology, sacred painting, and collecting. In 1623, he reacquired the feudal rights over what has historically been known as the “State” of the Borromeo within the Duchy of Milan, becoming the Marquess of Angera and Count of Arona, titles still used by the family as a courtesy.