Madonna of the Harpies
| Madonna delle Arpie (Madonna of the Harpies) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Andrea del Sarto |
| Year | 1517 |
| Type | oil on wood |
| Dimensions | 208 cm × 178 cm (82 in × 70 in) |
| Location | Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence |
Madonna of the Harpies (Italian: Madonna delle Arpie) is an altarpiece in oils by Andrea del Sarto, a major painter of the High Renaissance. It was painyted in 1517 and is now in the Uffizi in Florence.
It is a depiction of the Virgin and Child on a pedestal which includes harpies sculpted in relief, from which the painting takes its name. They are flanked by angels and two saints (Saint Bonaventure or Francis and John the Evangelist). Originally completed in 1517 for the convent of San Francesco dei Macci. The figures have a Leonardo-like aura, with a pyramid shaped composition.[1]
The painting was made for a convent of nuns, and the harpies, figures from pagan mythology, here represent temptation and sin, which the Virgin has conquered and stands upon.[2]
The main character in the Kürk Mantolu Madonna ("Madonna With A Fur Coat"), a novel written by Turkish writer Sabahattin Ali, is a depiction of the Virgin Mary in Madonna of the Harpies.
References
- ^ John T. Paoletti, Gary M. Radke (2005). Art in Renaissance Italy. Laurence King Publishing, ISBN 978-1-85669-439-1
- ^ Hickson, Sally Anne, Women, Art and Architectural Patronage in Renaissance Mantua, p. 34, google books
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