Study for the Transfiguration

This composition study features several nude figures in various states of motion and awe, arranged to depict the moment of divine revelation. The central figure of Christ floats with outstretched arms, while the figures below shield their eyes or recoil from the perceived light. A red chalk grid is visible across the entire sheet, which the artist used to accurately transfer the proportions to a larger surface.

The Transfiguration represents the pinnacle of Neoplatonic thought in Renaissance art, depicting the moment of 'theiosis' where the human body is suffused with and transformed by divine light. It illustrates the philosophical bridge between the terrestrial and celestial realms, a central theme in the works of Marsilio Ficino and the Medici circle.