After Raphael - The Virgin and Child Enthroned with Angels and Saints c.1853-76

This monochromatic work reproduces Raphael’s 'Madonna del Baldacchino,' showing the Virgin and Child on a high architectural throne. Two winged angels hover above to lift a heavy drapery, while four saints stand in a tranquil assembly on either side. At the foot of the throne, two small putti stand together, appearing to read from a scroll.

This composition embodies the High Renaissance peak of the 'Sacra Conversazione' genre, reflecting a Neoplatonic pursuit of divine order through geometric balance and idealized form. Raphael’s aesthetic was central to the Roman intellectual circle which sought to harmonize Christian theology with the classical 'Prisca Sapientia'.