Iacopo Sansovino. La Madonna in Cartapesta

Among eleven surviving versions of a popular Renaissance composition, the painted papier-mâché Madonna del Bargello, attributed to Jacopo Sansovino’s workshop, is thought to echo a lost original sculpted in bronze or marble. Drawing clear inspiration from the works of Donatello and Michelangelo, the piece was showcased alongside corresponding versions from prestigious collections, including the Louvre, Villa La Pietra, and the Museo del Cenedese (a relief famously gifted to Pietro Aretino). Today, researchers have cataloged thirteen variations of this distinctive Madonna design.