Madonna of the Harpies

Andrea Del Sarto, an Italian artist who was from Florence, was regarded as a renowned influence on Renaissance art by his peers and art enthusiasts as a whole. During his prime, he was so successful as an artist that he was named “Andrea senza errori” or Andrea the Perfect. Though highly respected, after his death in 1530 from a Bubonic plague outbreak other prominent artists of the era such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Raphael overshadowed his works and he was buried unceremoniously at the Church of the Servites. Even though his death spelled the end of his career and reputation, his paintings do live on and are considered today to be of some of the greatest works of art from the Renaissance.

Madonna of the Harpies Oil Painting

Of his works, few top the list as effectively as Madonna of the Harpies which was commissioned in 1515 and officially completed and signed in 1517, presumably in Florence (1). This painting shows the Virgin Mary and the Christ-child in her arms surrounded by small, baby-like angels, along with Saint Francis and John the Evangelist (2). Below the Virgin Mary sits a pedestal on which harpies are carved in relief. Modern experts have several interpretations of the meaning behind this work, personally I find it to represent how the Virgin Mary, Christ-child, angels and the saints are conquering evil which is represented by the harpies engraved on the pedestal. As religion has been incredibly prominent, especially Christianity, its no surprise that the painting serves as an image of Christ conquering his enemies which in line with the common ideology of the era.

Andrea’s Painting Techniques

Madonna of the Harpies was Andrea Del Serta’s most prominent work of art. It was painted using oil-based paint on a wooden panel. Andrea’s inherent skill as a painter is shown through the complex visual techniques in this work. The contrast between the angels, pedestal, clothing and the shadows surrounding them draw the eyes the center of the painting where the Virgin Mary stands. Madonna of the Harpies makes use of chiaroscuro, a technique that uses contrasting light and dark colors to create shadows. These dark shadowy spots create a sense of depth and detail to the painting. Were this missing, Andrea’s painting would lack an important factor as to why its a classic and well-known Renaissance work of art. Andrea’s skill direct the viewer to different areas is quite strong. Most of the clothing worn is brightly colored, a notable technique for attention to various details (2).

Artistic Themes

Madonna of the Harpies falls under the Humanism category of Renaissance art. This is evident as this painting focuses on the very human portrayal of the Virgin Mary and the Christ-child, though the inclusion of angels does give it a sense of super-naturalness. It has similar themes and elements to other great works of art such as The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, which contains a central religious figure standing atop a raised platform with surrounding figures. These themes are common among Humanism art in the Renaissance Era. This piece of art is a great representation of Humanism in Renaissance art that I would love to have if I collected art!

References:

1 History of Art: The High Renaissance, Mannerism – Andrea Del Sarto, www.all-art.org/early_renaissance/sarto1.html.

2 “Andrea Del Sarto’s Madonna of the Harpies.” Visit Tuscany, www.visittuscany.com/en/attractions/andrea-del-sartos-madonna-of-the-harpies/.