The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-12-18


AFVAH die ages the Madonna wa.
" W the most popular subject
This was especially true oi
That supremely great school that flour
ished during the Italian renaissance
period. In earlier Christian art the Vir
gin did not SO largely figure. 1t was
only with the council Of Ephesus and
Its gloriication of Mary as the moth
er Of God" and the development of the
doctrine Of the immaculate conception
not only as to the birth of Jesus but
as to that of Mary herself-that the
ascendancy Of the Virgin both In the
church and in church art was estab
lished.
1t was not till the wonderful renais.
sance era in Italy, the golden age of
art, however, that the Madonna be-
came the fayorite theme OF painters
The vogue started with Fra Angelica
Fra Bartolommeo and others Of the
FIRST painters OF the era and reached
Its height under Raphael. The three
great figures OF the renaissance period
In art were Raphael himself, Michel
angelo and Leonardo da Vinci Angelo
painted few Madonnas, some of them
unfinished, but they do not rank with
most of his work. Da Vinci has one or
TWO Madonnas that are up to his other
great paintings. But 1t was Raphael of
angelic face and character; Raphael.
the prince of painters Of all ages. whose
Madonnas both In number and quality,
outrank those of any other painter, an
cient or modern.
Raphaers "Sistine Madonna Is not
only his own masterpiece, but by uni
yersal consent ranks as the greatest
painting in the world Only less ia
nous than this Is his madonna of
the Chair" while his LA Jardiniere."
Madonna Of the Ginger" and many
more are celebrated.
Raphael Sanzio or Santi was born
in 1883 and died of fever at Rome
when thirty-seven. He was the son
OF painter and studied at one time
under Perugino, His first work to
become famous was THE Coronation
of the Virgin" which appeared in 1903
The Marriage Of the Virgin" was
painted the next year, shortly after
which Raphael went to live In Flor
ence, where most Of his Madonnas
were finished. His fame had now be-
come SO great that he was called to
Rome to decorate the Vatican. 1t was
not till toward the end of his life that
Raphael developed his own style and
did his greatest work, the "Sistine
Madonna" being his last great paint
ing He was also an architect and
was appointed the chief architect Of
st. Peters In Rome.
Another Madonna. n reproduction of
which Is here shown. is n detail of tho
painting by Hans IIolben the youny.
er known as the madonna of tA.
Meyer Family" 1t represents the Vir-
gin and the child Jesus being worship
ed by Burgomaster Meyer, his two
wives zone deceaSed) and some of his
children. Just why Burgomaster Mey-
er, his two wives and children should
be immortalized in this holy company
Is not apparent The burgomaster
paid for the picture. Members of the
family are omitted in the reproduction.
There were two Hans Holbeins, IA
ther and son. both painters. The
younger was practically contempo.
rary OF Raphael. being born I'm Bavaria
In 1497. One Of his best known Dor.
traits is that Of Erasmus. Several OF
his religious pictures are also cele.
brated.
The painting OF the madonna and
Child" by G.. Won Bodenhausen. here
shown, Is more modern.