Madonna Enthroned Analysis

In this paper, one will describe the oil painting Madonna Enthroned. The central figure of this piece, as indicated by the title, is the enthroned Mary. Mary is grasping her son Jesus and is flanked on both sides by a number of angels. Below Mary and the angels is four elderly men, two of whom are divided by columns of the throne. Beginning with Mary, one immediately notices her halo as highlighted by numerous red, white, and darker red stylized jewels. Her face is oddly proportioned, with large football shaped eyes, an elongated nose bridge, and pert lips that do not sit under her nose in an aligned manner. Additionally, her forehead is very small. Her jawline is soft and blends in with her neck. A headcover veils the bulk of her forehead and hair. Her garments are bilayered and are decorated with gold embroidery, with the first layer of a purple fabric and covering the majority of her figure, with openings to the second layer on her torso, right wrist, and lower shins. The second …show more content…
All of them are haloed as well. Beginning with the most leftward one, the man is looking upward and grasping a scroll with one hand and making a gesture with the other. He displays the softest expression of all the old men. He is wearing simple, bilayered garments. The two figures in the widest arch are markedly larger than the two other men flanking them. The bearded one is grasping a scroll with both hands and is looking to his counterpart. His counterpart is quite ornately dressed, with a vibrant crimson cloak and jewel-encrusted garments. Atop his head is a circlet or crown of some sort, also encrusted with gems. He is holding another scroll and is making a gesture with his free hand. The rightward man is quite similar to the leftward man, though he has a more luxuriant beard and more intense