Madonna and Child with Saints and Donors c. 1490s

Gasparo Cairano's "Madonna and Child with Saints and Donors" (c. 1490s) is a high-relief marble sculpture that displays a classic Italian Renaissance aesthetic. The scene depicts the Virgin Mary seated upon a throne, holding the Christ child while surrounded by saints and kneeling donors. Cairano's piece exhibits the elegant drapery folds characteristic of this period, and the figures are rendered with realistic detail and expressive faces, particularly the Virgin and Child. The composition is symmetrical and balanced, emphasizing the importance of the central figures, while the intricate details of the throne and the donors' garments showcase the sculptor's mastery.