Madonna of the Chair - Raffaello

The Madonna della seggiola is a round oil painting on wood with a diameter of 71 cm. Made by Raffaello Sanzio

The work shows Mary sitting on a chair, hence her name. She turns, with the Child in a tender embrace, towards the spectator. St John, on the right, assists as he makes a gesture of prayer to Mary, emerging from the dark background. The Madonna raises one of her two legs, covered by a blue cloth, sliding almost forward, so as to create a circular rhythm that seems to suggest the rocking of cradling. She bends her head towards her son, making her two heads touch, thus creating an atmosphere of intimate sweetness.

In the painting, warm tones prevail among which some parts of cold color stand out. The red color of Mary's sleeve and the orange color of Jesus' garment meet right in the center of the composition. The same colors are then found in the decoration of the Virgin's shawl and on the armrest of the chair.