Italian Renaissance: Raphael Sanzio

"The Three Graces" (1504, top left)

     The women in this painting share many attributes such as the angle of their bent arms, their balanced stance with the weight of their body centered over one leg while the other is at rest, the tilt of their heads, and their extremely similar physique. The spheres that they hold in their hands are likely to be fruit which is often representational of sexual temptations of the female form. Strangely, they all seem to be facing towards the object they are holding as if mesmerized by it, mesmerized by their sexuality maybe, or flaunting it for the viewer.

"The Entombment" (1507, right)

     This painting is of white European Jesus after His crucifixion and the white Renaissance European people who came to first century Palestine to relocate his body to his designated tomb. It is interesting to see the weight of the body of Jesus passed through the two men who appear to be carrying him, according to the angle and flex of their bodies. The hand of Jesus is held by Mary Magdaline.  In balance with the limp body of Christ, His mother, Mary, falls limp on the right side of the painting into the arms of several women tending to her. 

"The Blessing of Christ" (1506, bottom left)

     In this portrait of white European Jesus, the figure raises His right hand with middle and pointer fingers extended to offer a blessing as was, and is still, customary in the Catholic religion.  His other hand reaches acrost His chest towards one of the wounds during the crucifixion from a spear in His side.  The pectoral and upper abdominal muscles depict a toned male body while the broad hips, less toned lower abdomen, and delicate facial structure suggest a more feminine figure.