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AVision Seen Through the Curtains of a Bed
Copyright, 1912. by Amenrin Journ’l-EunUner
Gr*»t Britain Wtft. Rrarrred
LMOST four hundred years
ago the Benedictine monks
of Saint Sixtus gave Ra
phael an order to paint the
picture that you see on
this page.
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The Infant Jesus in His mother’s arms
excels in this wonderful painting in
majesty and beauty all the efforts of all
the painters of the world.
The monks who gave the order de
manded of the painter that he should pre
sent the Virgin and the Infant in the com
pany of St. Sixtus and St. Barbara.
The composition of this painting is
marvelous in simplicity and beauty. On
either side is a green curtain. It is said
that the inspiration of his greatest work
came to Raphael as he lay looking through
the curtains at the foot of his bed. The
vision of celestial beauty presented itself
to his mind framed in those curtains, and
so he painted it. ,
e # *
Reproductions of this wonderful paint
ing. inspiring and beautiful above all
w orks of art in this world, perhaps, should
be in every home, before the eyes of all
mothers and fathers and children.
Everything important in our lives you
see most beautifully presented here.
The goodness and purity of woman, the
'H<rnity and power of man, the celestial
beauty of childhood and the infinite gran
deur of simplicity—all are in this mosi
wonderful work.
Greatest and most impressive of ” h
the face of the Infant Jesus, looking out in
majesty from His mother’s arms.
That is the most perfect end marvelous
face of a child that has ever been painted.
It is a face that should have its place in the
room of every woman looking forward to
the blessing of maternity. VVe wish that it
might be possible, with our rapid, defective
printing, striking off tens of thousands of
copies in an hour, to give a better idea of
this beautiful picture. But some idea may
be had here at least, and those that choose
may purchase for themselves an accurate
reproduction at very slight cost.
♦ * ♦
You may study this painting for hours,
the misty cloud of cherubim in the back
ground. the two little angels at the bottom
of the picture, looking up at Mary in ado
ration; 4 he kneeling Pope, St. Sixtus, at the
left and St. Barbara at the right, looking
down from the clouds to the earth and in
terceding for mankind.
Every detail is perfect, hut always the
eye returns to the majestic and fearful face
of Jesus, the Infant God. and to the beautiful face
of the Virgin mother.
This picture of the divine Infant is not the pic
ture of the laughing child so often painted by
great men. It is, as Gruyer writes, “the God him
self. it is the God of Justice and of the Last Day.
In the most humble state of our flesh, beneath the
veil cf infancy, we see the terrifying splendor of
infinite majesty in this picture. The divine In
fant leaves between Himself and us a place for
fear, and in His presence we experience some
thing of the fear of God that Adam felt and that
he transmitted to his race. For attaining such
heights of impression the means employed bv
Raphael are of an incomprehensible simplicity.
“The Infant Jesus nestles familiarly in His
mother’s arms. Sitting on a fold of the white
veil that the Virgin supports with her left hand.
He leans against the Madonna’s right arm; His
legs are crossed one above the other; the whole
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(Published by Permission of Braun & Co., Paris and New York.)
The Picture Thus Seen by Raphael---Greatest
Painter of Power and Beauty in the Faces of
Women and Children-—Shows All That Is Im
portant in Life. Beautiful Motherhood, Perfect
Childhood and Earnest, Reverent Manhood Are
All in This Great Painting. !
of the left arm follows the bend of the body,
and the left hand rests upon the right leg; at
the same time the right shoulder being raised
by Mary’s hand, the right arm is bent at the
elbow and the hand grasps the Virgin’s veil.
“This attitude, so natural, so true, so un
studied. expresses grandeur and sovereignty.
Nothing can be more elementary or powerful.
“The light rests calmly upon every part of
this beautiful body and all its members in such
fine repose. Humanity was never seen under
such radiance. The Son of God, in transport
ing to Heaven the terrestrial form of His in
fancy. has made it divine for all eternity.
“The Infant Jesus seems to recoil from the
spectacle of human shame; He lovingly presses
against the Virgin’s breast, softly rests His
forehead against His mother's cheek and darts
toward the world one of -those flaming and
terrible glances at which, it is said, everything
in heaven, on earth and in hell trembles. His
disordered hair stands upright and quivers in
the breath of the tempest, and sombre clouds
pass across the widely modelled forehead; the
brows are frowning, the pupils dilate and the
flame is ready to dart forth; the eyes, pro
found and terrible, are preparing to flash with
lip htning; they still withhold it. but we feel that
it may break forth, and we tremble. This glance
is truly splendid; it fascinates you. attracts
you, and at the same time fills you w ith terror.’’
< ■* ■*
For every man and woman there is the
highest teaching in this painting.
Let women learn from it that there is one
glory above all others. MOTHERHOOD, giv
ing to the w orld a child to help in the world’s
work and fight against the sin and the sorrow
of ignorant humanity.
And let women learn from this picture
how r beautiful and how perfect is ABSO
LUTE SIMPLICITY.
Absolutely simple is the beautiful cos
tume that Raphael gives to the Mother of
God.
The hair, a light chestnut, is arranged
simply, as women should arrange their
’-pt- seeking to give expression to the soul,
The forehead, the ears, the cheeks and
the temples are left completely uncovered
in this perfect painting. There is no arti
fice. It is perfect beauty, unspoiled by any
thought of self.
Beautiful as is the figure of St. Barbara
at the right, it is a figure decorated; the hair
and clothing lack the wonderful simplicity
of the Virgin’s dress.
« « «
Men can learn from this picture, from
*he expression of earnestness and rever
ence in the face of St. Sixtus w hat their at
titude tow ard w omen should be.
Earnestness, force, reverence are in the
face, the hands and the kneeling figure of
the Pope, clad in a white rochet tied by a
girdle with golden tassels, a pallium w z oven
with gold and a chasuble Hned with red en
veloping his shoulders and arms. A w hite
tiara, with a triple crown, is placed on the
balustrade at the foot of the picture. It is
a magnificent picture of an earnest man.
“His emaciated face is full of ardor and
power: his eyes penetrate straight into the
splendor of God* and his mouth, although
partially hidden by the gray beard that cov
ers the lower part of his face, is praying
with extraordinary fervor. Pis gesture, so
resolute and respectful, is in itself an act
of love and charity, and bis very hands, so
true in drawing and so bold in action, have
their special eloquence. It seems impossi
ble that the divine Justice will not allow
itself to be swayed by such intercession.”
This greatest painting of a child and
.mother that the world knows is said to have
come to Raphael as a sudden and complete
inspiration. Ibere exists no preliminary
drawing, sketch or plan of the picture. The
whole vision was formed in the painter’s
mind as he looked out from his pillow and
saw the painting complete, the Virgin w alk
ing on 'the clouds carrying her beautiful
and majestic son in her arms.
In this picture there is material for many
hours of study and contemplation.
Happy those that can learn and apply
even part of the lesson that the picture
conveys.
For two hundred and-thirty-six years
the “Sistine Madonna” remained in the pos
session of the monks of St. Sixtus. And
every day during the two hundred and
thirty-six years divine service was held be
fore the picture. It was in front of this
painting that Correggio, the great artist, realizing
the grandeur of his profession, cried. “And I also,
I am a painter!
In 1734 the monks of St. Sixtus sold the paint
ing for about twenty thousand dollars to Augustus
111., the elector of Saxony and king of Poland. It
could not be bought for twenty millions to-day.
Augustus took the picture to Dresden, where it is
now. and received it with royal honors, as well he
might, in the reception hall of his palace.
In that great hall the throne occupied by him
self occupied the place of honor. The king seized
the royal chair, ordered it pushed aside, crying,
“Room for the great Raphael!”
In the centuries that have passed many have
found inspiration in this great work, Now the
marvellous science of photography and other
forms of reproduction duplicate great paintings
perfectly. And where this picture in the past has
delighted thousands it will delight tens of millions
•in the ages that arc to come.