Madonna and Child 

Luca di Tommè painted this Madonna and Child panel, and it is flanked by two saints, all adorned with halos. Here, the Madonna and Child are not merely portraits; they are vessels of profound meaning. The Madonna, with her serene gaze, is the embodiment of maternal love. Notice the child's gesture of blessing, a motif that echoes across centuries, reminiscent of imperial Roman iconography. The halo, a symbol of divine light, appears in various forms throughout history. Before Christianity, it was associated with pagan deities. Such symbols aren't static, though. They evolve, mirroring our collective psyche. The persistence of these symbols speaks to our inherent need to connect with the divine. They resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.