The Virgin with Six Angels and the Baptist
Sandro Botticelli, 1485, Borghese Gallery, Rome.
In this Renaissance “tondo” (circle), Botticelli creates a
composition of refined grace and harmony which centers on the tender embrace of
Mother and Child. As in his much more famous “La Primavera,” springtime
vitality abounds: the angels are garlanded with delicate blossoms and roses and
lilies tower in the background. At the
center of this circular painting, Jesus holds an open pomegranate. In Christian
art, the pomegranate with its blood-red juice is a symbol of the resurrection
and the hope of eternal life. Because of its abundant seeds, the pomegranate is
also a symbol for the Church, where the many seeds represent the many believers
who make up the one Church, the Body of Christ. Thus, we can see that
Botticelli paints all of us -- the seeds of Christ’s passion and resurrection--
in the tender and peaceful arms of Jesus and Mary.
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