Perspective and Memory: <em>Madonna Del Parto</em>

The structure

To start with the underlying architecture. The image is fashioned around a hexagonal diamond. The corners at the apex of the Madonna’s head, the lines of the upper arms of the angels to her side coming to a point extending below the vertical axis through her feet, and the crystalline point at the core centre of the pregnancy – the omphalos. The outstretched arms of the angels sweep aside the curtains of the tent revealing the Madonna, while their lower forward hands hold the curtain slightly back towards the midline in a way that creates the first dynamic tension of the architecture. The stress is placed up on the outstretched arms balanced by the diagonal of these arms extending down to the bottom point below the feet in the midline and by the movement of the angels pelvis and lower body towards the side their weight on their front foot their trailing leg relaxed slightly outside the crystalline architecture.

The centre of the work lies on a vertical axis from the apex of the tent extending down through Mary’s body to end just in front of her weight bearing left foot. The horizontal axis joins a cross between the eyes of the angels and a point at the bottom of Mary’s sternum where the swelling begins: then a second horizontal axis running between the neck’s of the angels across the critical centre.

The three heads form a shallow triangle, and the inclusion of the lower hands of the angels convert this to a quadrilateral. The front lower forearms of each angel form a diagonal structure linking to the upper arm of the opposite angel in a line extending through the critical midpoint, the omphalos. The line of the front upper arms forms another diagonal linking the top of Mary’s head with the midpoint between the Angels lower arms and feet. In turn the Angels lower hands are at the precise midpoint between the upper hand and their feet.

Thus the dynamic stressed form of the angels sweeping aside the front of the tent to reveal the Madonna creates a complex cradle of interlocking diagonals and hexagonals precisely aligned and measured, that subliminally create a cradle of interconnected formal correspondence and proportioned measure that holds and centres the image. It is the dynamic of the lower arms and hands pulling slightly inwards the curtain that creates the stabilising form, and the centripetal pressure of the upper hands pushing the curtain away and out that reveals the scene. The form of the angels thus acts both to dramatically reveal the scene and the same time to stabilise it; to set up a subliminal force field within which Mary is held vertical and relaxed.

Her head, seeming so light, effortlessly placed and still, is held within a virtual triangle formed by the horizontal between the angels’ upper pressured hands, and the diagonals of the fold of the curtain that they hold up, which meet at the apex of her halo. Mary’s lower body, the swollen abdomen of her pregnancy, is similarly held in a virtual triangle bounded by the horizontal between the angels lower hands and the diagonals formed by the angels lower forearms which meet at the central omphalos point. These upper and lower triangles are themselves linked through the extension of the lower triangular diagonals into the opposite upper hand, which forms the lower part of the upper triangle. The triangles are thus laced together one on top of the other through this diagonal structure and connected through the vertical extending up through Mary’s chest.

The first impression of the image then, which is Mary serene and relaxed yet monumental and apparently without effort, is created precisely by this subliminal architectonic structure.

The theme

A theme is developed against this structure. Although held vertically by the structure her body is in fact subtly and fluidly off-centre in a number of ways. She is rotated by a quarter to the right so that her body is seen at three-quarter angle and her head in three-quarter profile; whilst her eyes are cast downward more centrally and this is echoed in the slightly flattened rotation of her shoulders. This off-centre rotation and averted gaze is in contrast to that of the angels who look at us and engage us with a level steady stare and facial regard that is so open intense and characteristic of Piero.

Not only is there this rotation around the vertical axis, there is also a tilting forward of the pelvis to support the pregnant belly, creating a rotation into the forward plane emerging towards us. This tilting forward of the swollen belly is described by a flowing arabesque, which is formed as the slit in her pregnancy dress opens to accommodate the swelling. The slit, flake white against the pale blue of the dress, extends from the bottom of her sternum and over her belly. This arabesque is the musical theme of the painting, complimented and counterpointed by other movements of her body. So, her right forearm is crooked over the belly with the hand gently placed with the extended middle finger placed over the head of where the fetal child would be. The left hand, inverted at the wrist, is pressed into the pelvic brim supporting the tilt and complementing the relaxed gesture of the right hand. The slit in the pregnancy dress over the left hip is counterpoint to the main and the folds of the dress hanging serve to further describe this rotated cascading flow, counterpointed to the verticality of the underlying structure. The interlocking structure of the hands thus supports and protects the fetus, operating within the rotated and tilted planes of the abdomen.

With the argument of the hands thus stated, the formal structure of the work is completed. The formal theme lies in the juxtaposition of the held monumentality of the vertical within the architectonic structure, against the rotated and tilted axis, which expresses the dynamism and growth of pregnancy pressing against the belly. The rotation is held by the interlocking gestures of the hands; one pressing in to support the tilted pelvis, the other nestled over the fetal form within the abdomen. The head and face are held serene in the structure but the dynamic of the piece is expressed in this rotation which speaks of arching growth and becoming, pressing out against the belly. The vigour and dynamism of new growth is expressed by this contrast. The pregnancy is held personally within and by Mary’s body, but the second movement by angels in sweeping aside the curtains of the tent, as if on a stage, reveal this private intimacy to public gaze, the scene of personal intimacy by this demonstrated to be of public significance.

Form and light

This theme of pregnancy is played out in two other kinds of environment that serve to further illuminate it: an environment of form and an environment of light.

The form is created by the shallow space of the tent, a common symbolic device of the period denoting specialness and kingship. The tent is lined by elegantly done panels describing fur and silk and creating an articulated grid behind the figures. This grid is represented using all of Piero’s skill in establishing perspective both vertically and horizontally, coupled with an almost arithmetic progression as the panels get slightly smaller small to the top of the tent. The vertical perspective begins with the horizontal horizon line running through the Angels chests across the Madonna’s belly; above this line the horizontals become subtly upward curve and below it and even slight downward curve. Eye level is thus established to be at the level with the Christ fetus. The grid of these panels subtly holds the composition together and creates a rhythmic measure in a way that is so subtle and understated that is only becomes apparent with prolonged looking.

The second environment is that of light. The light comes from the right of the tent (the viewers left) and from a position that is slightly further round than the torso rotation. This throws the torso into further relief and allows the three-quarter face to be seen in shadow. Light also identifies and differentiates the angels, with the angel to Mary’s right (our left) bathed in light and the one to her left (our right) in more shadow. Differences in the Angels are also apparent in facial expression, demeanour, liveliness, colouring and handling. The angel to her right is lighter coloured green, with the direct open expression of hope and optimism. It is painted in the most lively delicate manner. The angel to her left in shadow painted red has a more sombre expression and the handling of paint is less fluid and fluent – the form less well established (so much so that there’s a feeling that this figure may not be by Piero himself but by a pupil or member of his workshop). It could be that this angel represents something darker and more somber, perhaps anticipating the passion, with the other angel representing the hope of salvation and resurrection.

The light finishes the painting, bathing and covering the architecture, illuminating a transluscent skintone particular to the genius of Piero, bringing to the foreground his iridescent surfaces and delicacy of paint handling in a way that lets the subtleties of the architecture in form of the painting slip into the background to only be experienced subliminally as an aesthetic sense as the viewer takes in the image.

Monterchi
June 2013