Madonna of the Chair, after Raphael c. 19th century

Curator: This diminutive piece, "Madonna of the Chair, after Raphael," by L. Zirotti, strikes me as surprisingly tender. Editor: It feels saccharine, almost cloying, doesn't it? But that circular format certainly amplifies the intimacy, trapping these figures in this perpetual embrace. Curator: Absolutely, the composition emphasizes the formal geometries at play. Note how Raphael's original is here flattened into a shallow relief. The artist emphasizes line over chiaroscuro. Editor: I am struck by the absence of context. Divorced from its original setting, this reproduction loses much of its religious power, becoming a sanitized version of motherhood. Curator: Perhaps, but the formal economy of Zirotti’s style evokes the sacred simply by removing anything extraneous. Editor: I am left wondering about the intended audience and the original purpose behind creating these miniature copies. Curator: An interesting tension emerges between the divine and the domestic. Editor: Precisely! The piece leaves me questioning the power dynamics at play.