Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0 · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original file
About This Work
The central panel shows the Virgin Mary seated on a high architectural throne, holding the infant Christ who is unusually fully clothed. At the foot of the throne, the young John the Baptist stands in prayer, surrounded by two female martyrs and the apostles Peter and Paul. The arched top section depicts God the Father blessing the scene while holding a globe representing the universe.
This early work by Raphael demonstrates the transition from the Umbrian style of Perugino to the formal harmony of the High Renaissance. The depiction of God the Father holding the 'globus mundi' reflects the Renaissance theological view of the Creator as the architect and sustainer of the physical cosmos.