Virgin and Child seated on clouds with Saint Philip Neri at left 1715 - 1796

This is Giuseppe Canale’s etching, “Virgin and Child seated on clouds with Saint Philip Neri at left.” Canale was born in Italy in 1725, at a time when the Catholic Church wielded immense social and cultural power. The image presents a celestial vision: The Virgin Mary sits enthroned on clouds, cradling the infant Jesus, while Saint Philip Neri gazes up at them, his expression a mixture of awe and supplication. We see a very standard depiction of the mother and child, serene and ethereal, floating above the earthly realm. But Neri, the Florentine saint, provides an emotional grounding, bridging the gap between the divine and the human. The cherubic figures surrounding them enhance the scene’s otherworldly quality. Though visually beautiful, it is worth considering how such images historically promoted specific ideals of femininity, motherhood, and saintly devotion, often reinforcing social hierarchies and gender roles within the church. Canale’s etching invites us to contemplate the enduring power and iconography of religious imagery and consider its emotional and social effects.