Tomb of Ludovico il Moro and Beatrice d'Este

Completed between 1497 and 1499 for the tomb that was once in S. Maria delle Grazie in Milan, the effigies of the Duke and Duchess, the only surviving elements of the complex, tell us how at the court of il Moro an art had established itself that translated the aspects of a prosaic naturalism into a solemn and sumptuous eloquence amplifying every descriptive and decorative motif. As in the paintings of the “Master of the Pala Sforzesca” or of Zenale, Bramante's broad measure and Leonardo's chiaroscuro movement are brought back to an archaic vision.