Religion has influenced art in numerous ways, both in modern times as well as in the past. This is because various religious events have formed the subject matter for various pieces of art. Notable among these events include the crucifixion, the birth as well as the resurrection of Christ. The appearance of these events in artworks underscores the fact that religious art forms an important tradition in different parts of the world. One important religious art is titled Madonna & Child Enthroned with Saints. This piece of artwork is an oil painting that features gold leaf on wood panel. It was painted by Raphael, an Italian artist of the h igh r enaissance period and dates back to c. 1504 ( Joost-Gaugier , 2006; Baetjer , 1995) . The painting was a commissioned by the Franciscan convent of Sant’Antonio in Perugia. At the time of painting it, Raphael was aged 21 complete the work at a time when he was changing his residence to Florence from Perugia. The painting, also referred to as ‘the Colonna Altarpiece,’ was hung in the church in the section reserved for nuns. Therefore, the nuns are attributed to having influenced some of the painting’s details. For instance, they insisted on such conservative details as the Christ Child that is clothed elaborately. The altarpiece was acquired by the Rome-based Colonna family in 1678. It is for this reason that it is referred to as ‘the Colonna Altarpiece’ ( Baetjer , 1995). Its other notable acquisition was by J. Pierpont Morgan, a New York Financier. This paper is aimed at offering a formal analysis of the painting and putting it in a historical context.
Formal Analysis
Madonna & Child Enthroned with Saints is a testament to Raphael's mastery of composition, form, and achievement of visual attributes of art that characterized Neo-Platonism ( Joost-Gaugier , 2006; Baetjer , 1995) . His use of such techniques as s fumato and Chiaroscuro is attributed to hi Leonardo da Vinci , who was his teacher. Madonna & Child Enthroned with Saints is primarily composed of two parts. Dividing the two parts is a horizontal wooden bar that forms part of the painting's frame. The bar can be described as being heavy. The first part features Mary and the Child and forms the main subject. This part is located at the center of the square-shaped lower portion. The second part, in a semicircular form, comprises of five figures, including three mature persons and two winged children’s heads appear above Mary and the Child. The main subject, Madonna and Christ are surrounded by five figures, who include four adults and one child. The heads of the four adults have halos around them. Therefore, it can be assumed that the four are saints, hence the reference to saints in the painting’s title. The four saints are Lucy, Paul, Catherine and Peter. The child is young Baptist. Due to lack of a halo on young Baptist’s head, it follows that he is not divine. Mary is looking down towards young Baptist, portraying his importance.
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All the five figures in the second part of the painting are divine. This portion could be the depiction of God, in the company of two angels, one on either side. Two cherubs are floating above God and the angels. However, only their heads are visible while their expression is rather sour. The two floating cherubs also appear on either side of God’s head. Therefore, the positioning of all components in the second part creates balance. Likewise, given that the section is semicircular, the angles of the angels and cherubs are tilted, while God is centrally placed. This creates harmony. Harmony is also created in the main section whereby the level of Madonna’s head is similar to that of Saints’ Lucy and Catherine’s heads. The head level of the Saints Peter and Paul is also similar, though lower than that of Mary and Saints Lucy and Catherine. Overall, Raphael establishes a pyramid configuration in the arrangement of all figures.
The painting features deep and very rich colors, in which case the most dominant are purple, blue and red. The clothes are also eye-catching, and all the five figures in the main part seem to be wearing contemporary Renaissance attires. This is as opposed to traditional desert or Hebrew robes that would be expected in this kind of painting. God and the two angels are painted as wearing different attires. These can be described as flowing and floating and could be a depiction of their residence, which can be assumed to be heaven. This representation is further supported by the sky that appears behind the figures. The sky is luminous and features a glowing horizon that is purple-blue. Also, the color is transformed into a deep-blue shade toward the top of the painting. The color composition ensures that the figures and their details are easily discernible. This characteristic confirms Raphael’s prowess in chiaroscuro .
The two sections of this painting seem to present the viewer with the two components of life. These are the divine and the human ( Naves , 2006) . The main part presents the human life as represented by Mary and Christ, Saints Lucy, Paul, Peter and Catherine, and Young Baptist. On the other hand, God, the angels and cherubs represent the divine, which is much greater and important. The figures in the main part seem to look normal in terms of clothing, demeanor and mannerism. However, God, cherubs and the angels look different and somewhat mythical. This is mainly due to their outfits and floating appearance. This perception is emphasized further by the winged cherubs. Also, the rigid nature of the square within which the human component of the painting is housed seems to insinuate rigidity and constraint. Conversely, the fluid nature of the semi-circular of the divine component suggests freedom ( Van Eck , 2007) . Despite having two components, the most eye-catching part of the painting seems to be that of Mary and the Christ.
In the second part of the painting, the figures seem to be disconnected. For instance, the eyes of God are shut; and each of the angels is looking in a different direction. Only one is looking towards the viewer. This seems to depict a scenario where the angel is watching those on earth. This draws the viewer to that part of the painting while requiring some thought. This is because the angel is not smiling and looks somewhat menacing. This disconnection is also evident in the painting’s main part.
Another notable feature of Madonna & Child Enthroned with Saints is its architectural depiction. This is because it bears elements of medieval architecture ( Joost-Gaugier , 2006; Van Eck , 2007) . For instance, a canopy appears above the throne, on which Mary is seating. The steps leading up to this throne create the impression of a queen watching a tournament or battle. Likewise, on the right, above one of the male saint's head, there is a church that boasts a spire. While emphasizing religion, this could be a depiction of contemporary architecture.
Cultural Depiction
Raphael, by including such aspects as God, Mary and Christ, cherubs, young Baptist and saints in Madonna & Child Enthroned with Saints was highlighting the importance of religion to the day to day lives of this time. The inclusion of a church and the fact that the work was commissioned by a convent further reinforces this narrative. The use of imagery to bring out the divine part of life was in line with the focus of the Franciscan nuns . The architectural elements are also in line with Raphael’s experience on his journey to Florence ( Van Eck , 2007; Naves , 2006) . For instance, between Rome and Florence, there was both a medieval city and a mix of artistic influences. These attributes played a role in the completion of this work of art. This is exemplified by the canopy, steps and the church in the distance. Key elements of the High Renaissance period are also highlighted. These include the throne’s stairs and the horizontal border to the frame. This seems to suggest that Raphael borrowed elements of the convent’s architecture. The same is brought out by the pillars. The figures, as grouped in both parts of the painting, highlight a combination of both grandeur and structure.
References
Baetjer, K. (1995). European paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art by artists born before 1865: a summary catalogue . Metropolitan museum of art.
Joost-Gaugier, C. L. (2006). Raphael: From Urbino to Rome.
Naves , M. (2006). “Raphael at the Metropolitan: The Colonna Altarpiece” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved from https://mnaves.wordpress.com/raphael-at-the-metropolitan-the-colonna-altarpiece-at-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art/
Van Eck, C. (2007). Classical Rhetoric and the Arts in early Modern Europe . Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press.
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