Michelangelo BUONAROTI
Painter, Sculptor and Architect of Florence
(1475-1564)

Name: Irene Imbrogno
Date: 2002-05-26
Comments: In the Pitti Tondo,the Madonna looks more like a free standing figure ,than part of the whole piece.
Her face is finished,but not polished.Like the Taddei Tondo,this work is not completed.The John, the Baptist,figure is in its earliest stage.At least,it looks that way to me.
Little Jesus wears a beautiful expression as he dozes comfortably by His Mother.

Name:
Date: 2002-08-05
Comments: This is actually more of a question about this piece, so if anybody has any further ideas about this please post it in another comment. I was wondering about the contrasting shapes that exist between the very rigid, angular stone base that the Madonna is seated on and the overall circularity of forms and figures in the tondo shape. Ive heard various suggestions, but am curious to know if anyone has a definitive answer. Some of these suggestions include:
The blocky shape of the stone represents the church or god-head that Mary is appropriately seated on top of./ The square stone represents god and the heavens in an ethereal form, while the circularity of figures indicates the mortal, fleshiness of Christ in this world./ Contrast between the death of Christ (stone tomb) and the life (circular, organic forms). Well, if anybody has any further information pertaining to this dilemma, please post it in another comment. Thank you.