San Giovanni in Monte Chapel

Saint Cecilia stands at the center of the composition, dropping her portative organ as she experiences a divine vision of angels singing in the heavens. At her feet lie a collection of broken and discarded musical instruments, including a viola da gamba, triangle, and cymbals. She is flanked by four saints who represent different facets of Christian life and contemplation, all captured in a moment of hushed spiritual transition.

The painting illustrates the Neoplatonic hierarchy of music, where 'musica instrumentalis' (earthly, man-made sound) is rendered obsolete and 'broken' in the presence of 'musica mundana' (the harmony of the spheres). This concept, central to the musical philosophy of Marsilio Ficino and the Italian humanists, suggests that the soul must transcend physical senses to perceive true divine harmony.