Botticelli “Virgin and Child with the Young Saint John the Baptist and two angels” at the Accademia Gallery in Florence

Virgin and Child Painting, Tempera on wood (85 x 62 cm) 1468-1470

“Madonna col Bambino, San Giovanni e due Angeli”, the “Virgin with the Child, young Saint John the Baptist and two angels”, is a youth work by Sandro Botticelli.

This work of 1468 and this type of representation of the Virgin was prevalent, particularly in vogue.

This theme is repeated repeatedly on many bas-reliefs and other contemporary works of art for private use or for religious places.

But Botticelli's own style is already expressed in this youth work.

The Child Jesus, on the knees of his mother and supported by one of the two angels, the one whose head is crowned with roses, reaches out to the Virgin, who holds him with all the delicacy of Botticelli's paintings.

Virgin and Child The Virgin has her eyes lowered, she is dreamy, she meditates, she transmits to us both her maternal tenderness, but also her melancholy, her feeling of the terrible ending that awaits her child.

An end she does not know, but that she feels deep within her in the communion that binds her to her son.

The Child Jesus stretches his arms to her with a little lost gaze, as if he felt the trouble of the Virgin.

Their eyes do not meet, but despite this, Botticelli manages to show us, to make us feel the current of mutual affection that passes between them, the intimate communion of their souls.

The angel crowned with roses, his lips part, looks at the Virgin with veneration and admiration while the angel just to the right of Mary, his head turned three quarters, looks at us, studies us.

Virgin and Child The face of the young Saint John the Baptist is like a mirror of that of the Virgin, leaning in the same way with his eyes lowered like her.

Botticelli thus unites the Virgin and the Baptist in representing both of them in a state of deep meditation.

Although this is a youth work of Botticelli, one can only admire his artistic talent, especially about the transparency of the veil that girds the head of the Virgin and falls on her shoulders.

A beautiful atmosphere of sweetness, love, communion is transmitted to us by Botticelli in this touching painting.

This painting was in the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova before being transferred to the Accademia Gallery in Florence.

Virgin and Child