St Anthony originally came from Lisbon. He was canonised just one year after his death in Arcella near to Padua, and the work of building his mortuary chapel of Sant'Antonio was begun. The tomb meant that the church became a very popular place of pilgrimage.

Donatello's high altar in the basilica is dedicated to the memory of the saint. The group called the Altare del Santo, which Donatello executed about 1447-50, composed altogether of twenty-nine pieces of sculpture. Seven free-standing bronze statues (Madonna Enthroned with Child, St Francis, St Anthony, St Daniel, St Justina, St Louis, St Prosdocimo), four bas-reliefs in bronze with the miracles of St Anthony (Miracle of the Ass, Miracle of the New-born Child, Miracle of the Repentant Son, Miracle of the Avaricious Man's Heart); four bas-reliefs in bronze with the symbols of the Evangelists, another bas-relief of the Dead Christ supported by two putti, twelve reliefs with Musician Angels, and finally a relief in Nanto stone depicting the Entombment.

Unfortunately today we can have no idea of the true architectural arrangement of all this material. In fact at the end of the 16th century Donatello's altar was taken to pieces to make way for another by Gerolamo Campagna and Cesare Franco, which included Donatello's Crucifix. Finally in 1895 the present altar was designed as a reconstruction of Donatello's altar, though it is an arbitrary one only, and the introduction of the bronze Crucifix is a falsification in 19th-century taste. Modern critics have repeatedly sought to arrive at a reconstruction which most closely resembles Donatello's ideal.

While he was working on the Altare del Santo, Donatello also executed the equestrian statue of Gattamelata. This was set up in front of the church in a space then used as a cemetery.

Preview	Picture Data	Info
	Crucifix 1449 Bronze, 180 x 166 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Crucifix (detail) 1449 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	The High Altar of St Anthony (front view) 1447-50 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	The High Altar of St Anthony (front view) 1447-50 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	The High Altar of St Anthony (front view) 1447-50 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	The High Altar of St Anthony 1447-50 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	The High Altar of St Anthony (rear view) 1447-50 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Madonna and Child between St Francis and St Anthony c. 1448 Bronze, height 147, 160 and 145 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Madonna and Child between St Francis and St Anthony (detail) c. 1448 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Madonna with the Child c. 1448 Bronze, height 160 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	St Louis of Toulouse 1447-50 Bronze, height 164 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	St Prosdocimus 1447-50 Bronze, height 163 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	St Justina 1447-50 Bronze, height 154 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	St Daniel 1447-50 Bronze, height 153 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Miracle of the Ass 1447-50 Bronze, 57 x 123 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Miracle of the Ass (detail) 1447-50 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Miracle of the New-born Child 1447-50 Bronze, 57 x 123 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Miracle of the New-born Child (detail) 1447-50 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Miracle of the Repentant Son 1447-50 Bronze, 57 x 123 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Miracle of the Repentant Son (detail) 1447-50 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Miracle of the Avaricious Man's Heart 1447-50 Bronze, 57 x 123 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Miracle of the Avaricious Man's Heart (detail) 1447-50 Bronze Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Symbol of the Evangelist John 1447-50 Bronze, 60 x 60 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Symbol of the Evangelist Matthew 1447-50 Bronze, 60 x 60 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	The Dead Christ 1447-50 Bronze, 58 x 56 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Entombment 1447-50 Nanto stone, 139 x 188 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Reliefs of Musician Angels 1447-50 Bronze, 58 x 21 cm (each) Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Reliefs of Musician Angels 1447-50 Bronze, 58 x 21 cm (each) Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Relief of Musician Angels (detail) 1447-50 Bronze, 58 x 21 cm Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua
	Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata 1447-50 Bronze, 340 x 390 cm (without base) Piazza del Santo, Padua
	Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata 1447-50 Bronze, 340 x 390 cm (without base) Piazza del Santo, Padua
	Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata 1447-50 Bronze, 340 x 390 cm (without base) Piazza del Santo, Padua
	Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata 1447-50 Bronze, 340 x 390 cm (without base) Piazza del Santo, Padua
	Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata 1447-50 Bronze, 340 x 390 cm (without base) Piazza del Santo, Padua
	Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata (detail) 1447-50 Bronze Piazza del Santo, Padua
	Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata (detail) 1447-50 Bronze Piazza del Santo, Padua