Art history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Art history - Essay Example Very little is known about the work or life of the painter. However, it is known that, during this time, the paintings were instrumental in both the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox churches. The painting was almost at the same time as the Madonna on the rocks by Leonardo Da Vinci and Titian Madonna of the house by Pesaro. These three paintings have the same composition of the virgin and the child (p. 204). The painting has several characters from the bible, the primary figures being the virgin and the child as the centerpiece. In this painting, the child (Christ) is borne on a litter that is decorated with rose petals which are red and white in color. This signifies a marriage between the church and Mary Ecclesia, the church and Christ himself. The litter on which the child sits is held up by two angels. This is an act in the painting is meant to create the hierarchy of the painting. Behind the image, there is a parapet which is white in color. Behind the parapet, John the Baptist and Jerome are reading a book. In the background, there is a rock which is surrounded by a river. This gives the painting a feeling of some movement. The background image also consists of several people praying. The background also shows a beautiful landscape with a lot of activities in the background (P, 216). In Madonna on the rocks, the painting shows a photo of the Virgin Mary, the child (Christ) and John the Baptist as an infant. In this piece, they are arranged in a triangular manner. The background has rocks but, has a distant landscape of water and mountains. In this painting, the Virgin Mary is the apex of the figure which forms the shape of a pyramid. The composition of this painting is almost similar to that of Madonna and Child with Saints and Angels. However, there are slight differences. This includes the Madonna and Child with Saints and Angels where the background is an open space while in the Madonna on the rocks the background is