Why it matters
The Virgin sits in a quiet meadow with the Christ Child and the young John the Baptist, arranged in a pyramid and linked by their gazes. Only Jesus grabbing at John's little cross disturbs the peace, hinting at the Passion to come.
Did you know?
- Raphael painted it in 1506, aged 23.
- It is also called the Madonna del Belvedere, after its long stay in the Vienna Belvedere.
- The red poppy refers to Christ's Passion, death and resurrection.
- Such serene compositions earned Raphael his commission in the Vatican.
Based on the Wikipedia article Madonna del Prato (Raphael) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
