Raffaello sanzio, visione di ezechiele, 1516-18 ca. 03

A powerful, bearded figure with outstretched arms is borne through a golden sky by a cluster of winged beings: a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. These creatures represent the four Evangelists and the 'living creatures' that pull the divine chariot in prophetic tradition. Below the swirling clouds, a tiny figure of the prophet Ezekiel gazes upward at the manifestation from a distant coastline.

This work visualizes the Merkabah (Chariot) vision, a foundational subject for both Jewish Kabbalah and Christian mysticism. During the Renaissance, thinkers like Pico della Mirandola interpreted this vision through the lens of Christian Kabbalah, viewing the chariot as a symbol for the soul's ascent to the divine throne.