Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna-Estasi di Santa Cecilia di Raffaello

Saint Cecilia stands at the center, her gaze fixed on a vision of angels in the clouds while a portable organ slips from her hands. At her feet lie various discarded and broken earthly instruments, including a viola da gamba, cymbals, and triangles. The surrounding saints look on in contemplation or engage the viewer, framing the transition from physical sound to divine silence.

The painting illustrates the Neoplatonic ascent of the soul, moving from 'musica instrumentalis' (earthly music, shown broken on the ground) to 'musica mundana' (the harmony of the spheres). This reflects the intellectual climate of the High Renaissance and the influence of thinkers like Marsilio Ficino, who theorized on the power of divine music to elevate the soul to a higher state of consciousness.