"The Virgin of the Chair" notebook

Plain paper. A5 (14.5 x 21 cm). 100 sheets (200 pages).

Guido Reni's sensitivity as an interpreter of this theme can be seen in all his Marian works, which reflect a lifetime of fervent devotion to the Virgin. With his brushstrokes, Mary approaches the viewer in her divine condition from the most beautiful human idealisation. A perfect example of this is The Virgin of the Chair (ca. 1624-25), whose face is reproduced on the cover of this notebook. At this stage of his production, he developed a pictorial style influenced by classical sculpture and Raphael, with severe forms and vibrant colours, a model later copied by numerous artists.