The Crowning of the Virgin (Oddi Altarpiece)

In the upper half, Christ places a crown upon Mary's head while surrounded by cherubim and angels playing musical instruments. Below, the Apostles express wonder at the open sarcophagus, which contains lilies and roses instead of a body. St. Thomas stands in the center holding the sacred girdle, which according to tradition was dropped to him by Mary as proof of her physical ascent.

The painting's tiered composition reflects the hierarchical spatial logic of the Renaissance, mirroring Neoplatonic concepts of the ascent of the soul from the material world to the divine spheres. This vertical arrangement serves as a visual representation of the 'Great Chain of Being,' a central concept in the natural philosophy and theology of the period.