The Ecstasy of Saint Cecilia

The saint holds a portable organ with pipes slipping out of its frame, signifying her abandonment of earthly music for a divine vision. At her feet lie broken and scattered instruments, including a viola da gamba, flutes, and cymbals. In the clouds above, six angels sing from songbooks, representing a higher form of spiritual harmony.

The work illustrates the Neoplatonic hierarchy of music, contrasting 'musica instrumentalis' (earthly, broken sound) with 'musica mundana' (the celestial music of the spheres). It reflects the Renaissance philosophical belief that the soul can achieve a state of 'divine frenzy' or ecstasy through the contemplation of heavenly beauty and harmony.