Madonna della Seggiola [Madonna of the Chair] 18th-19th century

Editor: So, this is Johann Conrad Ulmer's "Madonna della Seggiola," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. The softness of the figures really strikes me, and the circular composition feels so intimate. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, that embrace just sings, doesn't it? It's like a tender Italian lullaby. Ulmer's captured something so universally human. Look at how Mary's gaze guides ours. Do you feel that sense of protective love radiating outward? Editor: Absolutely. It's almost like a little world contained within that circle. Curator: Exactly! A world of warmth and safety, a space we all long for, perhaps? It's more than just a religious image, isn't it? It's a mirror reflecting our deepest yearnings. Editor: I see that now! It really makes you think about your own connections. Curator: And that, my friend, is the magic of art!