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Renaissance Italians admired the emphasis on human innovation and creation that they found in the classical societies of ancient Greece and Rome. This Madonna and Child is a good example of how Renaissance artists combined classical mythology with traditional Christian themes. Look carefully at the background landscape and you will see the Greek god Apollo chasing Daphne. In the Greek myth, Cupid causes Apollo to love Daphne but she does not return his feelings. Apollo chases Daphne but just before he reaches her, she turns into a tree and escapes.

The Madonna in this painting is in a contrapposto pose, meaning her shoulders and upper body turn one way, while her hips and lower body turn in the opposite direction. The pose was developed in ancient Greece sculpture and was thought to be a natural and balanced posture for a human figure. Renaissance patrons who had paintings like this made prided themselves on understanding classical traditions in works of art and their respective classical mythology.

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