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Madonna and Child with an Angel
The painting depicts the Madonna in a three-quarter view with the Child on her lap. Beside them is a smiling angel with a myrtle crown, offering a bowl containing twelve ears of grain and grapes. The Child raises his hand in blessing, and the Madonna holds an ear of grain. The composition may be set in a vineyard symbolizing the virginity of Mary, with a visible landscape through an archway in the wall. The grain and grapes symbolize the Bread and Wine of the Eucharist, referring to the Body and Blood of Christ. The number of ears may refer to the number of apostles at the Last Supper.
Portrait of the Creator
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Artist
Sandro Botticelli
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Date of birth and death
c. 1445 – May 17, 1510
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Natinality
Italian
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Style
Early Renaissance
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Significant works
The Birth of Venus, Primavera, Adoration of the Magi, Mystic Nativity, Saint Augustine in His Study
Information about the work
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Year:
1470
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Execution technique:
Tempera on panel
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Location:
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, USA
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Theme:
Religious painting, Madonna and Child, angels, Eucharist, Christian symbolism
Internal Narrative and Creative Framework
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Inner Narrative
The symbolism of grapes and grain refers to the sacrament of the Eucharist, emphasizing the divine presence of Christ. The enclosed garden symbolizes the purity and virginity of Mary, and the presence of the angel introduces an element of care and holiness around Jesus and his Mother.
The key to interpreting the work
During analysis, pay attention to the symbolism of the composition, details of the angel, and the harmony and linearity in Botticelli's style inspired by Filippo Lippi.See other works by this artist
The Virgin and Child with Two Angels and St. John the Baptist
- Artist: Sandro Botticelli
- Year: 1470
