Virgin Being Worshipped by Members of the Cavalli Family

Altichiero da Zevio was the foremost painter of the Veronese school in the late fourteenth century, celebrated for his monumental frescoes that anticipate Renaissance spatial illusionism. This fresco in Sant'Anastasia, Verona, depicting the Virgin worshipped by members of the Cavalli family, is a remarkable example of Gothic donor portraiture integrated into sacred narrative. The Cavalli were a powerful Veronese military family, and their inclusion alongside the Virgin asserted both piety and social status within the civic-religious sphere.

Executed in fresco technique rather than the listed tempera on panel, Altichiero's work demonstrates his masterful handling of spatial recession and individualized portraiture that was revolutionary for the period. The composition balances sacred hierarchy with naturalistic observation, particularly in the donor portraits' vivid characterization.