To this day, many secrets cover the story of the creation of Raphael's greatest work, The Sistine Madonna. Unfortunately, not a single sketch and drawing has come down to us, not a single document telling about the time of painting, as if to confirm the version of the maestro’s divine insight. They say that when they brought the canvas into the throne room of the Dresden residence of King of Saxony Augustus III, he removed his throne, which interfered with the passage, and exclaimed: “To the great Raphael!”
"Sistine Madonna" - an unsurpassed creation of world painting
Neither heaven nor earth depicts Raphael on the canvas. The Sistine Madonna is deprived of the usual landscape, the entire space between the images is filled with clouds, in which the faces of the angels are guessed. Our Lady, in comparison with the past Madonna of Raphael, no longer soars in the air, but as if striding through the clouds towards us, and the only obstacle in her path is pensive angels sitting on the edge of the parapet, propping up their faces with chubby little hands. Mary with a divine son in her arms, as if she wanted to go down from the heavenly world into our earthly world. And it seems as if she was about to step over the frame and with her bare foot set foot on the cold floor of the gallery, but at that moment she motionlessly freezes. Being so close and so obvious to our gaze, it still remains inaccessible.
The Sistine Madonna is thoughtful and sad, motherly carefully she holds little Jesus. Resignedly and humbly looking into the distance, her eyes are filled with anxiety, she is powerless before the inevitable. Now they are still together, one whole, but very soon she will be forced to take her son to life and give it to people. At heart, she mourns for the sacrifice that she has to make. Although childishly trusting, little Jesus is pressed against his mother, but his gaze is quite mature, meaningful and disturbing. Having knelt down and carefully placing his tiara next to her, Maria is met by Pope Sixtus IV, which is why the work got its name "Sistine Madonna". His hand, extended to people, symbolizes the true meaning of the picture - the appearance of the Mother of God to the people. Perhaps anticipating his short life, to the right of Madonna Raphael
depicts precisely Barbara, the one to whom at that time was credited with the gift of salvation from sudden and violent death. Her
downcast gaze expresses humility and awe.
Raphael's work is the peak of genius and the crown of excellence in Renaissance art
Among the Raphael creations, of course, the Sistine Madonna is the best jewel. The description, even the most eloquent one, will never replace eye contact with this masterpiece by the great artist. According to Goethe, the picture represents the whole world, and even if Raphael would not have created anything else in his life, this canvas would be enough to make it immortal. Rafael died young, at the age of 37, taking away from this world the amazing power of his talent. It is terrible to imagine what brilliant works mankind lost at that moment.