The Small Cowper Madonna by Raphael (Interpretation and Analysis)

The Small Cowper Madonna
Source: National Gallery of Art

If you ask the average European or American to name all the famous painters they could think of, the name Raphael would probably be among the first on the list. Raphael Sanzio (usually just called Raphael) is one of the most famous painters of the Renaissance period and, more generally, in the history of art. Raphael has never been one of my favorite painters, but it’s hard to deny that his paintings are extraordinarily beautiful. Raphael possessed profound artistic talent and a masterful understanding of the human form.

Unsurprisingly for the time period, most of Raphael’s paintings were religious in subject matter; in particular, Raphael returned to the Madonna as a subject many times throughout his career. This Madonna, known as the Small Cowper Madonna, is—in my opinion—Raphael’s finest depiction of the mother of God. It is an incredibly beautiful painting, exhibiting Raphael’s technical mastery and adherence to Renaissance ideals. Like most of Raphael’s Madonnas, the Small Cowper Madonna the painting portrays a beautiful young woman with blonde hair, and is a soft, intimate portrait of the Virgin Mary, emphasizing her humanity and role as a mother.

Raphael’s Madonnas (and, for that matter, all Renaissance Madonnas) represent a significant departure from earlier depictions of the Virgin Mary. During the Medieval period (and during even earlier time periods), European Madonnas tended to be grandiose and austere. The Virgin Mary was typically seated in a throne in an attitude of triumph, remote and otherworldly (here’s an example, in case you’re interested). These Madonnas were spectacular, but purposefully not realistic.

With the advent of the Renaissance, artists began to imagine the Madonna as a real woman, like Raphael’s Small Cowper Madonna. This is partially due to the emergence of Renaissance humanism, a system of thought and values that rested on classical, Greek and Roman texts. Humanist ideas were underpinned by the notion that human beings were endowed by God with a fundamental greatness and superiority. When the idea that human beings reflected the glory of God became widely entrenched in European thought, it became ideologically possible to depict the Virgin Mary (as well as other religious figures) as a realistic human being.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.