Cristoforo Solari: The Sculptor of Pavia’s Glory Cristoforo Solari (c. 1460–1527), also known as il Gobbo (the hunchbacked), was an Italian sculptor and architect who stands as a pivotal figure in the artistic landscape of Renaissance Lombardy. Born around 1460 in Milan, he emerged from a family steeped in artistic tradition—his father, Marco Solari, was himself a respected architect—and his brother, Andrea Solari, established him firmly within the vibrant artistic milieu of Venice. This formative environment profoundly shaped Solari’s aesthetic sensibilities and propelled him to become one…