1504 is the year the rich merchant Agnolo Doni is to marry Maddalena Strozzi. He has portraits made of himself and his wife by Raffaello, but he wants Michelangelo to paint a tondo as a gift to his bride. It is known as the Tondo Doni or the Tondo Madonna and can be admired in room 25 of the Uffizi museum in Florence. This tondo with a diameter of 120 centimeters (appr.4 feet) shows us Mary, who sits between the legs of her husband, the old carpenter Josephus and baby Jesus. The baby is either given to her or being given to Joseph. A very unusual depiction of the holy family. The patron saint of Florence is Saint John the baptist and is seen on the right side of this circular painting. The reason Michelangelo painted a few nude male figures in the background is unknown and a reason for debate between art connaisseurs. Look at the magnificent frame. The maker's name is unknown to us but the frame on its own can be seen as a masterpiece. It is reminiscent of the technique Ghiberti used to construct the gilded doors of the Florentine baptistery. None of the five heads in the frame are ever identified, but generally accepted is the idea that the head on top of this magnificent frame depicts Jesus himself. For more short videos on masterpieces of Florence, sign in as a member of my YouTube channel. There will be many made in the coming months...
