Saint Carlo Borromeo Attending to the Plague Victims

Berthélemy employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, juxtaposing illuminated figures against a shadowy backdrop to heighten emotional tension. The composition follows a Late Baroque‑Rococo training, yet the restrained palette and clear outlines align with the emerging Neoclassical aesthetic of the period.

Created in the final decade of the eighteenth century, the painting reflects the artist’s French academic background and his engagement with historical‑religious narratives. It entered public collections in the early nineteenth century, though specific ownership records prior to that remain limited.

The work was produced at a time when Europe was still grappling with recurrent plague outbreaks, and the figure of Carlo Borromeo served as a model of clerical duty. Its religious subject matter resonated with contemporary audiences seeking moral exemplars amid social upheaval.