The Madonna of the Harpies (Madonna delle Arpie) is one of the most famous paintings by Andrea del Sarto, completed in 1517 and now housed in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. [en.wikipedia.org], [uffizi.it]
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, accompanied by Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint John the Evangelist, with two cherubs at the base of the pedestal. [uffizi.it], [artsandcul…google.com]
The title comes from the strange creatures carved into the pedestal on which Mary stands. The art historian Giorgio Vasari identified them as harpies, mythological monsters, giving the work its traditional name. Modern scholars often interpret them instead as the locusts described in the Book of Revelation, symbolizing evil forces overcome by the Virgin Mary. [uffizi.it], [en.wikipedia.org]
Key facts
- Artist: Andrea del Sarto [uffizi.it]
- Date: 1517 [uffizi.it], [uffizi.it]
- Medium: Oil on panel [uffizi.it]
- Size: 207 × 178 cm [uffizi.it], [uffizi.it]
- Location: Uffizi Gallery, Florence [uffizi.it], [uffizi.it]
The work is considered a masterpiece of the High Renaissance. It combines the balanced composition associated with Raphael, the monumental figures inspired by Michelangelo, and the soft, subtle coloring influenced by Leonardo da Vinci. [uffizi.it], [uffizi.it]
Many art historians regard it as Andrea del Sarto’s best-known work. [en.wikipedia.org]