Noli me tangere

The altarpiece was made for the major altar of the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena in Milan. After the demolition of the monastery on October 19, 1798, and the subsequent destruction of the church, the painting arrived at the Gallerie dell’Accademia on July 10, 1809. When the altarpiece was placed in the Church of Santo Stefano in 1889, it was adapted to the new location by extending the upper part with an arched top.
It was acquired in 2009 and then restored, so that it is similar in size to the original. The work shows the Noli me tangere scene from the Gospels. Next to Christ’s feet lies a dated and signed cartouche. The typical 14th century structure of the composition is solid. The artist offers an original variation of the iconography of the resurrecting Christ as a gardener: here Christ is only wearing a shroud, according to the model offered by Vincenzo Campi in Christ’s Appearance to Mary and Mary Magdalene.