The Spinola - Rezzonico Chapel

The chapel - on the left-hand side of the nave - houses the fresco of Madonna della Scala, probably moved here in the early 19th century following the demolition of the church of Madonna della Scala in 1776, to be replaced by Teatro alla Scala.
Mary is depicted standing and carrying the Baby in her left arm - who in turn holds the world in his left hand, while giving a blessing with his right hand.
The round and full shapes, the warm and bright colours typical of the Venetian school of artmake it likely to be by Bernardino Luini and his circle (approx. 1481 - 1532).
Mary is wearing a high-waisted dress and a generous cloak, which flows from her shoulders to drape the rest of her body and the arm holding the Baby. In the background, the wide and deep arch of a building frames the Virgin and bestows upon her an aura of gentle majesty.
The fresco is missing two side figures depicting the archangel Michael and John the Baptist – as an old etching shows. The tonality of the colours was also partly lost during the repositioning from the original wall.
The work bears significant cultural value.