Raphael's Sistine Madonna Flashcards
Q: What is depicted in Raphael’s Sistine Madonna?
A: The Virgin and Child are flanked by Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara, with two cherubs at the bottom of the painting.
Q: Why was the painting commissioned, and by whom?
A: Pope Julius II commissioned it for the high altar of Santo Sisto in Piacenza to commemorate his expansion of the Papal States northward to the city.
Q: Who was Saint Sixtus, and why is he included?
A: Saint Sixtus was an early Christian pope and martyr, adopted as a patron by the della Rovere family. Julius II’s uncle, Pope Sixtus IV, took his name.
Q: What is Saint Barbara’s significance in the painting?
A: Saint Barbara, the patron saint of artillerymen and deliverance from war, relates to Julius II’s identity as the “warrior pope.” She is also the patron saint of the hour of death.
Q: What is the role of the cherubs at the bottom of the painting?
A: The cherubs are putti symbolizing the transition of souls from earth to heaven. They rest their elbows on a ledge that may symbolize a coffin.
Q: Describe the positioning of the Virgin Mary in the painting.
A: The Virgin is centrally placed, cradling the Christ Child tenderly with a protective and sorrowful expression.
Q: What is significant about the Virgin’s gaze?
A: She looks directly at the viewer with large, soulful eyes, engaging us and drawing us into the painting.
Q: How does Raphael convey movement in the Virgin’s figure?
A: Her drapery billows out behind her, and her weightless, floating contrapposto pose suggests motion.
Q: What is unique about the background of the painting?
A: Illusionistic curtains frame the Virgin, implying a glimpse into heaven and separating her from the earthly realm.
Q: How are Saint Barbara and Saint Sixtus depicted?
A: Saint Barbara’s classical style and dynamic pose draw attention to her attribute, the tower.
Saint Sixtus, resembling Julius II, gestures as an intercessor, with della Rovere emblems on his garments.
Q: What is the significance of the papal tiara in the painting?
A: The tiara rests on a ledge below Saint Sixtus, possibly symbolizing Pope Julius II’s coffin beneath the altar.
Q: How does Raphael balance the composition?
A: Through a triangular arrangement, swirling drapery directing the viewer’s eye, and gestures unifying the figures in harmonious spatial relationships.
Q: How does the Sistine Madonna reflect High Renaissance characteristics?
A: The work exhibits a harmonious design, interaction between figures, realistic depth, chiaroscuro, and a triangular composition unified by gestures.
Q: What political factors influenced the painting’s commission?
A: Julius II commissioned it to mark the expansion of the Papal States to Piacenza and to celebrate his uncle Pope Sixtus IV, linking papal and political power.
Q: How does the painting’s placement enhance its meaning?
A: Positioned as an altarpiece, it visually supports the doctrine of Transubstantiation, where the Virgin elevates the Christ Child like a priest elevating the Eucharist.
