The Sistine Madonna: Raphael's masterpiece and universal icon of beauty

Raphael Sanzio's "Sistine Madonna" is much more than a painting. It is one of the most famous and beloved works in the history of art, inspiring generations of artists , philosophers and writers. When King Frederick Augustus III welcomed the painting to Dresden in 1757 with the exclamation "Make way for the great Raphael", he paid homage not only to a work of art, but to a vision of the divine and humanity that transcends time and borders. It is also one of Raphael's last works to be completely finished by him.

The Origin and Fate of the Masterpiece

The painting was commissioned in 1512 by Pope Julius II , one of the most important patrons of the Renaissance. After the Benedictines went to Rome to take part in the celebrations linked to the withdrawal of the French army following the Battle of Ravenna, Julius II may have entrusted the artist with the commission of the work.

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Destined for the Benedictine Church of San Sisto in Piacenza, the painting remained there for over two centuries. The canvas was one of the last Madonnas painted by Raphael. Giorgio Vasari called it "a truly rare and extraordinary work". Only in 1754, the monks sold the work to King Frederick Augustus III for the considerable sum of 25,000 Roman scudi, a very high price that allowed the order to pay off its debts.

After a difficult journey, the painting arrived in Dresden, where it immediately became one of the most appreciated masterpieces of the royal collections. During the Second World War, the "Sistine Madonna" was saved from the bombings that devastated Dresden. However, at the end of the conflict, it was stolen by the Red Army and transferred to Moscow, where it remained for a decade before returning to Germany in 1955. This long pilgrimage helped to strengthen the mystical aura of the work, making it known and appreciated even beyond the borders of Europe.

The work also made many intellectuals of the time reflect on its “use” outside of sacred places. Having made it available to the gallery of Augustus III of Poland made people think about the change from an object of devotion to an object of contemplation. Another use of the Sistine Madonna not “suitable” to its subject was also the extrapolation of the two little angels, placed in the background of the painting, as a purely commercial object. From 1803 up to Versace and Dolce and Gabbana to chocolate or household products companies have used without problems an element decidedly linked to religion.

The use of canvas instead of the traditional panel , a rare option for Raphael in that period, has given rise to several speculations, although not supported by concrete evidence. According to Karl Friedrich von Rumohr, a German writer, art historian and designer between 18th and 19th century, the work could have been conceived as a banner for processions. Another theory suggests that the painting was not created for the church of Piacenza, but as a cover for the coffin of Julius II or as an altarpiece for his tomb. This hypothesis is based on the presence of Saint Sixtus, patron saint of Sixtus IV and the Della Rovere family, and Saint Barbara, invoked for comfort in the hour of death, in addition to the two little angels that could be seen as funerary symbols. A tradition born at the end of the eighteenth century, started by the monk Oddone Ferrari, states that the monks of Piacenza obtained the canvas by purchasing it after the death of Julius II, during the sale of his assets. However, the plans for the Pope's tomb, entrusted to Michelangelo, do not mention either drapes or the presence of an altarpiece.

Theatrical composition and the universal message

The Sistine Madonna is a work that immediately captures the viewer's attention thanks to its scenographic composition. The painting opens up like a theatrical backdrop, where a large green drapery frames the apparition of the Virgin, who moves towards the viewer holding the baby Jesus in her arms. Both look directly at the audience, establishing an immediate and powerful connection between the sacred and the observer. It is as if the Madonna were revealing herself to the world, floating in a sky of angelic clouds. Her simple dress is moved by a light wind, suggesting movement and grace , making the scene almost suspended in time and space.

On the sides of the Virgin, Saint Sixtus II and Saint Barbara accompany the scene, accentuating the theatricality and completing the geometry of the composition. Saint Sixtus, with his venerable figure and golden cloak, turns his gaze towards the Virgin, symbolizing devotion and sanctity. On the other side, Saint Barbara, kneeling on the clouds, looks towards the imaginary faithful , representing the link between heaven and earth. The two famous little angels, leaning absentmindedly on the frame of the painting, seem to observe the scene without participating in it, giving a touch of lightness and innocence to the solemnity of the painting.

Models and sources of inspiration

It remains a mystery who were the real models that inspired Raphael to create this masterpiece. According to the most reliable sources, the figure of the Virgin was inspired by Margherita Luti , known as Fornarina, whom Raphael loved during his stay in Rome. Saint Sixtus II, instead, could represent the likeness of Pope Julius II, the patron of the work, as suggested by the Roveresque acorns embroidered on his cope. For Saint Barbara, it is thought that the model could have been Giulia Orsini, the pontiff's niece, or Lucrezia Della Rovere, another relative of the pope.

The Power of Attraction of the Sistine Madonna

But what makes the "Sistine Madonna" so special? Why has this painting captured the attention of artists, poets and philosophers for centuries?

The answer lies in the simplicity and power of his representation. Raphael opens a "window to heaven", presenting a young Madonna, dressed simply, without crowns or symbols of royalty, who holds her child in her arms. This humanized representation of the Mother of God has deeply touched the hearts of the faithful and art lovers, because the figure of the Virgin appears accessible and close, in contrast to other more detached and idealized representations.

The "Sistine Madonna" has become an icon not only of the Christian faith, but also of human and spiritual beauty. The work has inspired philosophers such as Nietzsche and Heidegger, and writers such as Goethe, who praised its spiritual and human harmony. The painting is not only an expression of religious devotion, but also a celebration of universal beauty that transcends the earthly dimension and becomes a symbol of divine grace.

The charm of little angels

A curious aspect, as we have already mentioned, of the painting is that, despite the majesty of the main composition, the two little angels at the base of the scene have become almost more famous than the work itself. These two cherubs, with their distracted and playful expressions, have been reproduced in countless variations, becoming true pop cult objects. The fashion brand Fiorucci, for example, transformed them into an ultra-pop icon in the 70s and 80s, representing them with colored sunglasses, making these little angels a symbol of a fusion between classical art and contemporary culture.

The Sistine Madonna as a Philosophical and Literary Revelation

In the 18th century, Johann Joachim Winckelmann, an influential art historian, celebrated the painting in his Geschichte der Kunst des Alterthums (1764), helping to place it at the center of European cultural debate. Contemporary criticism oscillated between celebrating the classical and Christian elements present in the work, with the image of the Madonna seeming to merge the Christian sacred with pagan references.

During the 18th century, a legend gained traction that Raphael had received a divine vision that inspired him to create the Sistine Madonna. This story is part of the 19th-century German Romanticism, a period in which the work became a spiritual symbol, capable of arousing strong emotions among viewers, so much so that it was compared to the Stendhal syndrome. Even figures such as Goethe , Wagner and Nietzsche were influenced by the evocative power of the painting, while the Russian writer Dostoevsky described it as "the greatest revelation of the human spirit."

A legendary episode connected to the work occurred during the failed Dresden Uprising in May 1849, when the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin unsuccessfully suggested displaying Raphael's painting on the barricades to prevent the Prussians from attacking the city, believing that they would not dare damage such a valuable masterpiece. This incident was later taken up by the Situationist International as an example of how the art of the past could be used for contemporary political purposes.

In 1855, the Sistine Madonna was given a dedicated room in the Neues Königliches Museum in Dresden, further underscoring the importance and lasting influence of Raphael's masterpiece.

Raphael's Sistine Madonna, one of the most precious treasures of the Dresden Gemäldegalerie, had a dramatic history during and after World War II. Saved from destruction during the devastating bombing of Dresden in 1945, the work was hidden in a tunnel in Saxon Switzerland , along with other works of art. When the Red Army discovered these treasures, they took them into custody and transferred them to the Soviet Union.

The painting was temporarily moved to Pillnitz, and then taken to Moscow, transported in a covered box on a railroad car. Once in the Soviet capital, the Sistine Madonna made a deep impression on the leading Soviet art official, Mikhail Khrapchenko, who declared that the Pushkin Museum could now compete with the great museums of the world. In 1946, the Madonna was put on public display in a limited exhibition at the Pushkin Museum, along with other masterpieces recovered by the Soviets.

In 1955, after the death of Joseph Stalin, the Soviets decided to return the Dresden art collection, including the Sistine Madonna, to East Germany. This gesture was seen as part of an attempt to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the Soviet and German peoples. However, the restitution was not without controversy. The international press claimed that many of the masterpieces had been damaged during their time in Soviet storage, while Soviet authorities countered that, on the contrary, they had saved the works. In particular, it was claimed that the tunnel where the works were stored had lost its air conditioning due to power outages, exposing the paintings to damp conditions.

Despite the tensions, the Sistine Madonna’s return to Germany marked an important moment for European artistic heritage and helped to heal, at least partially, the wounds of war. Raphael’s work has continued to profoundly influence art and culture , inspiring Soviet artists such as Mikhail Savitsky and Mai Dantsig in their depictions of the Minsk Partisan Madonna. These Soviet paintings, while rooted in local history, evoke the iconography and symbolic power of the Sistine Madonna, demonstrating the Renaissance masterpiece’s enduring influence on generations of artists and cultures.