Christine Sine passes on this interesting reading of the Madonna of the Magnificat by Botticelli "contemporaries of the artist would have seen something very differnt from what we see. They would recognize every figure in the painting as a member of the Piero de’ Medici family. "
So is this then an artist sucking up to power, or at least knowing which side his bread is buttered on? Probably: a guy's got to eat. But then again ...
Botticelli might not have been the complete sellout to the ruling classes that this appears. The open book near the centre of the picture portrays the Latin text for the canticle of Zechariah of the left and the Magnificat on the right with its wonderful song of praise to our God who “has scattered the proud in their conceit, cast down the mighty from their thrones, lifted up the lowly, filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty.” Mary not only sings of revolution but with the quill pen in her hand she is also shown to be a revolutionary women of letters, and the right hand of Jesus, the hand of blessing rests on his mother’s recvolutionary words.
So, to the tune of the Internationale:
"Sing we a song of high revolt;
make great the Lord, his name exalt!
Sing we the song that Mary sang
of God at war with human wrong.
Sing we of him who deeply cares
and still with us our burden bears.
He who with strength the proud disowns,
brings down the mighty from their thrones.
By him the poor are lifted up;
he satisfies with bread and cup
the hungry men of many lands;
the rich must go with empty hands.
He calls us to revolt and fight
with him for what is just and right,
to sing and live Magnificat
in crowded street and council flat."
(I think that this was a Fred Kaan hymn)
Anyway, with that ringing in your ears, read Christine's whole peace.
Madonna of the Magnificat � Godspace:
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