by Raphael, 1506
Raphael painted the Madonna of the Goldfinch in 1506 as a wedding gift for his friend Lorenzo Nasi. The Virgin Mary watches as the infant John the Baptist offers a goldfinch to the Christ child. The bird symbolizes Christ's future Passion, as legend held that goldfinches got their red markings from pulling thorns from Christ's crown.
A 1547 earthquake destroyed the Nasi house, shattering this panel into 17 pieces. It was painstakingly reassembled, though the damage remained visible for centuries. Recent restoration has recovered much of Raphael's original luminous color and soft modeling.
The pyramidal composition shows Raphael's study of Leonardo, while the Tuscan landscape behind the figures recalls his Umbrian training. The Uffizi displays this as one of Raphael's finest Florentine Madonnas.

Leonardo da Vinci
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Florence

Sandro Botticelli, 1482
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Florence

Sandro Botticelli
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Florence

Fra Angelico
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Florence
Other masterpieces from the Renaissance movement

Sandro Botticelli, 1476
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Florence

Leonardo da Vinci, 1500
Private Collection, Unknown

Sandro Botticelli, 1485
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Florence

Sandro Botticelli, 1482
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Florence

Titian, 1538
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Florence

Titian, 1555
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

El Greco, 1614
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Leonardo da Vinci, 1503
Louvre, Paris, Paris
Luxury wall art with the same mood and energy. Gallery-quality canvas, no museum crowds.
Browse Collection