Weekly musings on the arts and current events.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Madonna of the Chair



When I was in Florence, touring the Palazzo Pitti, this painting stopped me in my tracks. The composition is utterly perfect and yet relaxed and natural. The colors and textures of the fabrics feel durable and comforting. The upright post of the chair, perhaps a symbol of the cross and perhaps not, tells me this is a domestic setting, maybe even a kitchen. I want a chair like that. Raphael painted these three figures--Mary, Jesus, and John the Baptist--many times over, but never with such understated elegance.

1 comment:

Paula Slade said...

Beautiful composition - so soft rounded. Florence is indeed a spectacular city for artistic treasures! I felt like I was on constant visual overload (but in a good way) when I was there.