Raphael and his Madonnas by Alexa Marquez

Overview and Influence

amarquez3 — 2015-03-25 18:41:36 UTC

Although Raphael lived a short 37 years, he managed to create a productive amount of masterpieces, which included his series of Madonna paintings. They each focus on the Virgin Mary and some aspect of Jesus' life shown through the emotion and gestures of the paintings' subjects. The Italian artist painted these with influence from some of the greatest Renaissance artists, like Leonardo da Vinci. However, Raphael's main influence came from the Florentine culture of Perugino's art workshop (Raphael Biography). Perugino accepted Raphael as his assistant and apprentice after the young boy's father passed away. The experienced teacher's influence on his student's work is depicted in paintings they each did of Madonna. Perugino's background and color choices reflect Raphael's use of red, blue, green, and peach in his paintings of Mary, such as that of The Small Cowper Madonna done in 1505. He softens tones of peach to create a sense of gentleness in Mary and Jesus, which is also seen in Perugino's art to show a connection between the mother and son figures (Raphael's Madonna's: Full of Grace).

Sources

amarquez3 — 2015-03-25 18:47:21 UTC

1. "Raphael." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 2015. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.

2. "Raphael." . Madonnas. Moodbook Development, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.

3. "Raphael Biography." Raphael Biography. Creative Commons License, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.

4. "Raphael's Madonnas: Full of Grace." Italian Renaissance Learning Resources. Oxford University Press, 2015. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.

The Series of Madonna Paintings

amarquez3 — 2015-04-01 03:18:51 UTC

Summary of Info

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The Small Cowper Madonna

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by Raphael

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Madonna and Child

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by Perugino

The Deeper Meaning

amarquez3 — 2015-04-02 01:09:44 UTC

As mentioned previously, Raphael often portrays grace and gentleness in his paintings of Mary through his use of soft tones and body gestures. He connects the mother to the child by using interlocking hand movements and depicts affection by making baby Jesus embrace Mary in various paintings. Most of his Madonnas also show how Raphael viewed the Virgin Mary; furthermore, his associations with Christianity emphasize his image of her and Jesus. He had worked with Pope Julius II and had his funeral held at the Vatican Palace accompanied by a mass (Raphael 1). Before his death, Raphael made sure he received his last rites, which shows his belief in the Christian faith (Raphael Biography). Proved by his connections with religion, he painted the Madonna according to his views of her as a mother strongly connected to Jesus in a loving bond, which exemplifies human nature in relationships. He displays the mother's and the son's shared feelings by directing their glances towards similar places and paints a strong grasp that shows the compassion they have for each other.

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Madonna del Granduca

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Portrays loving relationship through hand gestures

Niccolini Cowper Madonna

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Depiction of strong bond seen in Mary's comforting gaze at child who awaits nursing

The Different Madonnas

amarquez3 — 2015-04-02 03:44:37 UTC

Each portrayal of Madonna painted by Raphael is different because of the time and place in which the Italian artist created it. His most productive set of Madonnas was painted between 1504-1508 during his stay in Florence; these include the three images which are featured above (Raphael Biography).

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A Few Examples from Other Years

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Sistine Madonna (1514)

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-one of most known works, most likely painted for Pope Julius II's funeral (Raphael 2)

Alba Madonna (1510)

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-painted in a format known as a tondo influenced by Florentine art (Raphael's Madonnas: Full of Grace)

Madonna of Foligno (1512)

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-commemorates a miracle that occurred when lightning struck a house in Foligno and did not damage it (Raphael 2).

Connection to Today

amarquez3 — 2015-04-02 05:00:16 UTC

The Italian artist's paintings of Madonna resemble modern day paintings, sculptures, and events dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In Latino culture, "la Virgen Maria" is valued at a high stance and is frequently reproduced in frames for every household. Some Hispanic countries, such as Mexico, have cities where large parades are held for the sole purpose of honoring Mary. The picture below shows a parade in Ixtapa with a banner that says, "Little Virgen Mary of Guadalupe, we thank you for the blessings and protection you have given us." Raphael valued Madonna through paintings just as the Latino culture values la Virgen through public events.

Performance Task

amarquez3 — 2015-04-02 05:00:42 UTC

An interview with Raphael Sanzio asking him about his Madonnas.

Raphael and the Madonna of the Meadow

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In this video by BBC, one of Raphael's Madonna paintings is picked apart and compared to the works of da Vinci and Michelangelo.

Connection to Today (cont.)

amarquez3 — 2015-04-02 08:22:00 UTC

Raphael's series of Madonnas also reflect the gracefulness of sculptures and paintings seen inside churches today. The image below depicts the inside of St. Anthony Catholic Church in El Segundo, CA. The statue of Mary with open arms reveals the compassion and love that Raphael shows in his paintings as well. Mary's compassion is also seen in the large painting centered on Christ, where she stands off to the side weeping for her son.