Intercession of Christ and the Virgin Mary with God the Father.
The Intercession of Christ and the Virgin Mary with God the Father was made in Tuscany, Italy around 1402 by an unknown artist. It is a painting and was originally an altarpiece from the Chapel of the Satissima Trinity in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore at Florence. It contains images of Christ, Mary, the Father, the Holy Spirit, and of a Florentine family.
We see Jesus in a green and red cloak, with the signature cross in the halo. The image of Christ is striking since it shows him on one knee, touching the wound he has to his side. He is pleading with God to save this Florentine family, the family that most likely commissioned this work of art. In Latin, Christ says, "My Father, let those be saved for whom you wished that I suffer the Passion." This represents a reminder to us that Christ suffered for us and still asks God the Father to save man. Mary pleads to Jesus by saying, "Dearest son, because of the milk that I gave you, have mercy on them." Mary has a fruit in her hand, what appears to be an apple. She has an expression of sorrow and concern over the fate of these people. .
The image of God the Father shows his awe and power. God and Jesus both are bearded in this painting. While Jesus is on earth, God is in the clouds. He has a magnificent halo that is gold on the outside and navy blue with stars on the inside. There is radiance all around him and we can only see his upper body since the clouds are blocking the rest. From the clouds we see the dove that represents the Holy Spirit shoot out. There is a trail of radiance that follows him that is made of gold and black, which contrast with the dark blue background. As well as the Father and Jesus, he has a cross in the halo. This shows that the artist wanted to portray the Holy Trinity in his artwork. Possibly the Florentine family wanted much salvation and asked for four of the most significant characters in Christianity to be present.
