Madonna the Goldfinch: An Analysis of the Painting
Henry Kutilek
Grinvalds
Humanities (A8)
10/31/12
Emotions From the Finch 100 years ago the first car was made. This created an entirely new form of transportation that was innovative to that generation. Similarly, the 100 year difference between the end of the Medieval Era and beginning of the Renaissance Era showed amazing changes in the form of art. The painting “Madonna the Goldfinch” by Raphael Sanzio was created in c. 1505-1506. This was the very beginning of the Renaissance Era, and the painting strived for perfection unlike any of the paintings created before it. Madonna the Goldfinch portrays a sense intrigued curiosity, but to those who analyze it will find a guiding informative response with a deep understanding of symbolic foreshadowing. This essay will discuss the visual, expressive, and associative responses experience from Raphael’s painting, The Madonna the Goldfinch. The responded will be ordered by when chronologically experienced. The primary response I feel is visual. The first thing that catches my eye is the pale face of the woman (Mary) and her blue and red clothes. Her face is close to white, its large, and located at the top of the painting. She is looking down, and the expression on her face looks close to surprised, with a faint smirk on her lips. This makes me think she is curious, yet knowing of the situation at hand. Next I look at the two children on the left and right (John the Baptist, Jesus) below Mary. I immediately notice the clothed John and naked Jesus, and then the bird that John is holding. He is offering it to Jesus, and Jesus strokes the top of its head with assurance. He is also being held tightly between Mary’s knees, and she has an arm around John, which makes me feel like she is encouraging him. These three bodies make a near perfect triangle, which balances the painting to a tee. Also, the colors on their bodies contrast the green landscape in the background. I noticed this, and then saw that there is a city
Grinvalds
Humanities (A8)
10/31/12
Emotions From the Finch 100 years ago the first car was made. This created an entirely new form of transportation that was innovative to that generation. Similarly, the 100 year difference between the end of the Medieval Era and beginning of the Renaissance Era showed amazing changes in the form of art. The painting “Madonna the Goldfinch” by Raphael Sanzio was created in c. 1505-1506. This was the very beginning of the Renaissance Era, and the painting strived for perfection unlike any of the paintings created before it. Madonna the Goldfinch portrays a sense intrigued curiosity, but to those who analyze it will find a guiding informative response with a deep understanding of symbolic foreshadowing. This essay will discuss the visual, expressive, and associative responses experience from Raphael’s painting, The Madonna the Goldfinch. The responded will be ordered by when chronologically experienced. The primary response I feel is visual. The first thing that catches my eye is the pale face of the woman (Mary) and her blue and red clothes. Her face is close to white, its large, and located at the top of the painting. She is looking down, and the expression on her face looks close to surprised, with a faint smirk on her lips. This makes me think she is curious, yet knowing of the situation at hand. Next I look at the two children on the left and right (John the Baptist, Jesus) below Mary. I immediately notice the clothed John and naked Jesus, and then the bird that John is holding. He is offering it to Jesus, and Jesus strokes the top of its head with assurance. He is also being held tightly between Mary’s knees, and she has an arm around John, which makes me feel like she is encouraging him. These three bodies make a near perfect triangle, which balances the painting to a tee. Also, the colors on their bodies contrast the green landscape in the background. I noticed this, and then saw that there is a city