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About This Work
The Virgin Mary is shown in prayer, looking down at the Christ Child who sits on her lap and reaches toward the reed cross held by Saint John the Baptist. Saint Elizabeth supports the infant Jesus, while the elderly Saint Joseph stands in the shadows of a classical architectural structure in the background. The scene is characterized by a compact, balanced composition and the use of soft light to define the holy figures.
The painting’s title and theme relate to the Neoplatonic concept of 'Divine Love' (Amor Divinus) popularized by Marsilio Ficino. This philosophical framework viewed human affection and physical beauty as rungs on a ladder leading the soul back to the contemplation of the divine.