Madonna and Child with Angels Bearing Symbols of the Passion
1583
Imagine a heavenly traffic jam of angels, and you've got Friedrich Sustris's 1583 masterpiece. This Mannerist drawing is a whirlwind of activity, with elongated figures swirling around the central Madonna and Child on clouds. The angels are hard at work displaying the 'Symbols of the Passion'—like the massive cross and ladder—foreshadowing Christ's sacrifice. At the top, the IHS monogram and a dove represent the Holy Spirit, while a bishop and a knight kneel at the bottom, likely the wealthy patrons who paid for this elaborate church design.
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