Eduard Kaiser nach Raffael Hl Cäcilia

The central figure of Saint Cecilia holds a small portative organ with pipes slipping out, signifying her distraction by a higher divine melody. At her feet lie various broken and discarded instruments, including a viola da gamba, flutes, and a tambourine, symbolizing the limitations of earthly craft. Above the group, a choir of angels emerges from the clouds, holding open songbooks and providing the celestial music that captivates the saint.

This composition illustrates the Neoplatonic and Boethian concept of the 'Music of the Spheres' (musica mundana). It represents the transition from material, man-made music to the spiritual harmony of the divine, a core theme in the musical philosophy of Marsilio Ficino and the Renaissance Neoplatonists.