Raphael, Madonna in the Meadow, 1505

Exuding harmony and simple brilliance, Raphael’s Madonna of the Meadow packs fearful foreboding in elegant composition. Madonna is pictured classically in a blue robe, but a red dress appears form underneath, representative of the blood of Christ. A matched red, the two flowers of Mary’s right closely resemble the role and position of the boys at her feet. Young John’s flower wanes to young Jesus, already knowing him to be the redeemer and master. Pictured on one knee, John shows an understood subservience to Christ, allowing Jesus to take the cross from his own hands. One of the sole sources of tension in the painting, this act serves to predict Jesus and John’s toil in the future.

Madonna atop Jesus and John creates a strong pyramidal structure centered in the piece, and rooted strongly in the ground. A simple foreground contrasts the detailed background, hazy enough to be peaceful, but complex enough to represent the coming complications for Jesus and John. Positioned with one hand on his mother and one on the cross, Jesus stands with the help of his mother, and accepts his fate. Raphael’s body positioning, though not always biologically correct, creates visual harmony. Madonna’s foot for example, far from any comfortable position, serves as the brightness of the right side of the painting, balancing the left side’s eye-catching action. Carefully portrayed characters and no unnecessary features makes Raphael’s Madonna in the meadow visually simple and symbolically dense.