Malcesine's medieval village hosts 'La natura della madre' exhibition blending Renaissance and contemporary art

The medieval village of Malcesine on Lake Garda is hosting the exhibition 'La natura della madre/The chanting mothers,' curated by Claudia Zanfi and running until October 30, 2025. The show marks the return of a polychrome stucco 'Madonna with Child' attributed to the school of Donatello (Florence, 1386–1466), housed at Palazzo dei Capitani. The exhibition spreads across multiple venues: at Palazzo dei Capitani, panels by art scholar Matteo Chincarini trace the iconography of motherhood from pre-Christian Mother Goddess cults to the Virgin Mary and Donatello's legacy. In the Castello Scaligero's Sala Labia, Studio Azzurro presents a site-specific multimedia installation using video projections and photography to explore maternal gestures through lullabies. At the Castello's garden, ecodesign studio Atelier del Paesaggio offers three images connecting to the Donatello-school sculpture. The exhibition aims to let the public rediscover local cultural heritage through contemporary reinterpretations.