Madonna aanbeden door de heilige Joris 1564 - 1627

This drawing, "Madonna adored by Saint George," was created by Giovanni Battista Paggi using pen and brown ink with grey wash on blue paper. The composition immediately strikes one with its arrangement of figures in a triangular structure, the Madonna at its apex. Below, St. George kneels in adoration alongside another figure, their upward gazes creating lines of reverence toward the Virgin. Paggi’s use of line is particularly evocative. The hatching and cross-hatching delineate form, adding depth and volume to the figures. Notice the use of wash; it softens the overall effect and infuses the scene with an ethereal quality, typical of Mannerist art which sought to create visual drama. The artwork operates within a semiotic system where gestures, poses, and symbols carry meaning. St. George, a military saint, signifies courage, but here, he submits to a higher spiritual order. This submission plays with power dynamics typical of religious art, challenging fixed meanings, as earthly power is secondary to divine authority.