Madonna of Foligno
The Madonna of Foligno is a representation of Marie Raphael. The 1511/12 resulting painting is in the Vatican Museums.
History
Raphael painted the painting on behalf of the learned humanist and secretary of Pope Julius II, Sigismondo de 'Conti (1432-1512) for the high altar of the Roman Franciscan church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli. It shows Mary and the child in accordance with the vision, the Emperor Augustus, according to legend, received on the day of the birth of Jesus at the site of the present church at the Capitol by the Tiburtian Sibylle. Sigismondo, whose house was unharmed in a ball lightning or bolide impact in Foligno, wanted to bring his thanks to the Mother of God expressed with the votive offering.
1565 was the sanctuary of Santa Maria was completely remodeled in Aracoeli, and the niece of Sigismondo, abbess of the Monastero delle Contesse in Foligno, let the image of Mary bring in their monastery church of St. Anne. After Napoleon's Italian campaign and the Treaty of Tolentino with the Papal States, it was brought to Paris in 1797 and transferred there by François -Toussaint Hacquin on canvas. When returning in 1816 Pope Pius VII decided to keep it in the Vatican collection. In the following years including the Cathedral of Foligno, copies were worldwide for numerous churches made .
Description
The round-arched screen of more than three meters high, is divided into a heavenly and an earthly half. The semi-circular border between the two forms, with the top of the screen a circle, the symbol of eternity and perfection.
In heaven, hovers round, against a blue and white background of clouds and childlike angels and a golden sun disk, Mary with the infant Jesus. Sitting on a cloud, with red and blue sub - robe and wearing a veil, which also wrapped the child, she turns to this side down to and keeps it easy to shoulder and hip. The naked boy seems wegzustreben from the womb of the mother. The outstretched left leg already touched the clouds ground, right arm pushes the curtain aside, the upper body is turned away; However, the head is inclined to the mother, and the view of the half-closed eyes directed down to the earthly realm.
On the verdant earth stands in the middle, facing the viewer, his eyes to heaven, one of naked, winged angel boy with an empty signboard that should probably take title or dedication of the image. At his sides kneel in adoration left St. Francis of Assisi Franciscan habit, cross and palm stigma, right in red coat, with joined hands, and the expression of religious devotion, the founder Sigismondo. Again, these are flanked by two standing figures: the left looks John the Baptist, in the fur cloak and with shaggy hair in his left hand a Astkreuz, the viewer and shows with the rights to the Blessed Mother with the child; right St. Jerome is depicted as a hermit, bare-headed, with blue coat robe, at his feet his attribute, the lion; he puts his left hand on the head of the founder and performs with the lowered right hand gesture will make a recommendation to the Madonna.
In the background above the angel's head is surrounded by an arc, represented the scene, the reason for the image foundation was: some municipal buildings over which descends to the right of the red glowing celestial bodies.