{"product_id":"the-ecstasy-of-st-cecilia-raphael","title":"The Ecstasy of St. Cecilia - Raphael","description":"\u003cp\u003eA masterpiece of the High Renaissance, this work depicts Saint Cecilia listening to celestial music, surrounded by four other saints.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCommissioned by Elena Duglioli for the chapel of San Giovanni in Monte in Bologna, this work depicts Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, in a moment of spiritual rapture. She stands at the centre, holding a portable organ that appears to be slipping from her grasp. Her gaze is directed upward toward a choir of angels, who are visible in the clouds above. The composition is arranged as a sacra conversazione, featuring four other saints: Paul, John the Evangelist, Augustine, and Mary Magdalene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRaphael employs a balanced, pyramidal structure that is characteristic of his mature Roman period. The figures are rendered with a sense of physical weight and psychological presence. Saint Paul, positioned on the left, leans on his sword, his expression one of deep contemplation. Opposite him, Mary Magdalene stands with a calm, steady demeanour. The musical instruments scattered at the feet of the saints, including a broken viol and a tambourine, signify the rejection of worldly music in favour of the divine harmony heard by Cecilia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe painting demonstrates the artist's mastery of colour and light. The warm, golden tones of the upper celestial region contrast with the more grounded, earthy palette of the figures below. The drapery is handled with precision, creating volume and movement through subtle shifts in shadow and highlight. This work remains a primary example of the High Renaissance style, where humanistic ideals and religious devotion are synthesised into a harmonious visual language. The painting was later moved to Paris during the Napoleonic era before being returned to the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Bologna, where it resides today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/resurrection-pietro-perugino\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eResurrection by Pietro Perugino\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/martyrdom-of-four-saints-correggio\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMartyrdom of Four Saints - Correggio by Antonio da Correggio\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/raphael\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#2a555a;border:1px solid #2a555a;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#ffffff;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eRaphael prints →\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Raphael","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59516274901327,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59516274934095,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":59516274966863,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59516274999631,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59516275032399,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59516275065167,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59516275097935,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59516275130703,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59516275163471,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59516275196239,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59516275229007,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59516275261775,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/The-Ecstasy-of-St_Poster_CompositorV1_1794704766772.jpg?v=1794704796","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/the-ecstasy-of-st-cecilia-raphael","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}