Friday, June 01, 2018

Art Appreciation Friday


    The painting is called "Madonna of the Harpies" (those things in bas relief on her pedestal), and is by the artist Andrea del Sarto way back in 1517.  I had never heard of it, and it figures into a book I've just finished reading.  It is a very unusual piece of High Renaissance art.

    For starters, the Christ child is much older than usual.  And he has a mischievous expression on his face, as he stares down on the two cherubs who also have mischievous looks.

    Finally, Mary's gaze is unusual.  She's not looking at the baby Jesus, nor the two saints flanking her, nor upward, towards Heaven.  Perhaps her baby has just "given her a gift" in her right hand.

    All in all, I found it to be an amazing painting.  The Wikipedia article on it is here.

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