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The creation background of The Madonna Of The Chair
The arts are sometimes overlooked, but they're a valuable part of culture and history.
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jerryailily
Postby jerryailily » Thu Apr 25, 2013 3:50 am
The Madonna of The Chair was created by Italian painter Raphael. His Madonna paintings are his artistic monument. All the perfect qualities of his Madonna stem from his keen insight of the folk women. Three characters in this painting including Madonna, the child and John are portrayed more lively than the previous works.
People think of Raphael"��s Sistine Madonna as the top female work. This painting can be regarded as the peak of Madonna paintings. But people cannot help asking, why the artist put three vivid images in this rounded box which has rarely clearance inside? In 1820, Italy had a Hermit Legend. From it, there was a rumor said that once upon a time, a noble person encountered wolves in the forest and he was very quick-witted to climb up the tree for survival. Later he was rescued by the daughter of a restaurant and better treated. Over a night, he left the woods in the next morning. And he predicted the oak tree and the girl that saved him would be good forever. After some years, oak trees were cut down for the hotel wine bottles; the girl was married and gave birth to two sons. One day, Raphael passed by here and saw the angel-like babies and young beautiful mother. In Raphael's eyes, nothing could be comparable to the theme of mother. Then his painting interest arose spontaneously. But there was no painting tool at present. He grabbed eagerly clay tablets on the ground, and painted these three people on the bottom of oak barrel at the hotel door. This is the origin of The Madonna Of The Chair, which seems to be true with the hermit's prophecy.
After all, legend is the legend. From the art history, such legend lacks of historical evidence. Because Hermit Legend was compiled in 1820, thus it could not be used as historical fact. Moreover, the legendary at the beginning of the 19th century is a product of the climax of romantic idea of literature in Italy. Combination of Hermit Legend and Raphael's masterpieces 300 years ago only accords with a part of people's worship. Besides, The Madonna of the Chair is not the painter's extemporization work. From the virgin's scarves, embroidery fabric with spike shawls and red jacket, blue cloak, and costume folk pattern, we can know the painter has profoundly observed the Italian folk images of women.
Raphael carefully puts three characters in a small round box. In order to show the parent-child affection, the layout is decorated very carefully. The child sits on his mother's right knee, but the left knee will be very difficult to deal with. If according to the actual appearance, then John will be squeezed out. The artist uses the pleats in his left knee to weaken its visual effect, let John take a position. John puts a symbolic crutch under his left elbow, thus he is not only an ordinary crutch, but also predicts Jesus will move towards the world as a pastor. The end of this stick is a simple cross, implying that John will be in the wilderness and repeatedly calls Jesus. It also implies the future of Jesus being suffered from cross. In Christian iconography, red generally symbolizes God's love, and blue symbolizes the truth of god.
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