Madonna Of The Harpies Analysis

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The above picture of Madonna of the Harpies is a 1517 painting by Andrea del Sarto which is also representative of Renaissance themes. The painting shows the Madonna holding a baby on an altar. She is flanked by two saints, Saint Francis and Saint John the Evangelist. In Renaissance times religious themes were common in art. However, the base of the altar is engraved with images of harpies, a reference to classical mythology which is also a feature of Renaissance art. It also explains the name of the painting. In classical mythology the harpies were monsters with women's heads and birds’ bodies. These figures are a marked contrast to the saintliness of the main figures. The composition of the art piece uses a common technique known as “pyramidal

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