Room 64a

Room 64a is an exhibition room located within the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Situated in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, it forms a specific part of the museum's Medieval and Renaissance Galleries. The space is dedicated to the theme of Donatello and the Making of Art, focusing on Italian Renaissance sculpture from 1400 to 1500. It serves as a critical display area for the V&A, which houses the largest collection of Italian Renaissance sculpture outside Italy.

The room exists within the broader historical context of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The institution originated from the Government School of Design established in 1832. It moved to South Kensington in 1857, where it was initially called the South Kensington Museum, before being renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1899 when Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone for new buildings. Room 64a was subsequently developed as part of the museum's Medieval and Renaissance Galleries to house specific thematic displays of European sculpture.

The collection scope of Room 64a centers on Italian Renaissance sculpture and religious art from the 15th century. Specifically titled Donatello and the Making of Art 1400-1500, the gallery explores the artistic developments and techniques of the period. The displays feature religious sculptures, including poignant depictions of the dead Christ intended to elicit emotional responses from viewers. The room's thematic focus highlights the devotional and artistic practices of the Renaissance, complementing the V&A's wider holdings of post-classical sculpture.

Among the notable holdings in Room 64a is The Virgin with the Laughing Child, a sculpture formerly attributed to Antonio Rossellino. Recent scholarly debate has suggested a potential attribution to Leonardo da Vinci, based on stylistic similarities to da Vinci's paintings, such as the smile of the Virgin resembling that of St. Anne in The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, and the characteristic draping of robes over the figure's knees. If confirmed, it would be the only existing three-dimensional work by da Vinci. The room also contains several sculptures depicting the dead Christ supported by angels, which serve as focal points for the gallery's exploration of Renaissance emotion and devotion.

Room 64a is located in an obscure corner of the Renaissance section within the Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum itself covers 12.5 acres in South Kensington and features over 145 galleries. The V&A site evolved from earlier structures, including the Brompton Park House and the utilitarian iron galleries known as the Brompton Boilers, into a sprawling complex of interconnected exhibition spaces. Room 64a is integrated into this larger architectural framework as a component of the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries.

Room 64a is accessible to visitors of the Victoria and Albert Museum at its South Kensington site. General admission to the museum is free, though special exhibits may incur charges. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. To enhance the visitor experience in Room 64a, the museum provides audio guides featuring period music, such as the composition Se mai per maraviglia by Franciscus Bossinensis, recorded by the Royal College of Music to complement the religious sculptures on display.