Rafael Santa Cecilia. 04

The central figure holds a small portable organ with its pipes slipping out, while various broken and discarded musical instruments lie scattered at her feet. To her left, Saint Paul leans on his sword in deep contemplation, and to her right, Mary Magdalene gazes directly at the viewer. Above them, a heavenly light breaks through the clouds to reveal six angels singing from musical scores.

This painting exemplifies the Renaissance Neoplatonic concept of the 'hierarchy of music,' where earthly, man-made instruments (musica instrumentalis) are rendered silent and broken in the presence of divine, celestial harmony (musica mundana). It illustrates the soul's transition from material sensory experience to the mystical contemplation of the divine as described by Christian Neoplatonists.