Bramantino “Madonna of the Towers - Madonna delle Torri” at the Ambrosiana Gallery Pinacoteca in Milan Italy

Bartolomeo Suardi called Bramantino (1465 -1530) “Madonna of the Towers - Madonna in Throne with the Child between Saint Ambrose and Saint Michael”

Painting - Tempera and Oil on Wood (122 x 157 cm) 1505-1520

Bartolomeo Suardi called Bramantino, Madonna of the Towers - Madonna in Throne with the Child between Saint Ambrose and Saint Michael, at the Ambrosiana Gallery Pinacoteca in Milan Italy

Madonna of the Towers The central theme of this painting is the Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ, who protects the Church from Satan's traps.

Bramantino shows us Mary sitting on a throne covered with a scarlet red cloth, stretched behind her by two angels.

This red cloak is that of the sovereign of martyrdoms, the one who, through the martyrdom of her own heart and by her nature as co-redeemer of the world, protects those who ask her for her help.

On the left, Saint Ambrose is kneeling with his mitre on the ground; opposite him, Saint Michael the Archangel is also kneeling on the stone step that serves as a pedestal for the throne.

Madonna of the Towers The two saints are shown in profile and praying on each side of the Virgin.

The two dead bodies of green colour lying on the ground represent the enemies of the Church overcome by faith.

At the feet of Saint Ambrose is the body of the heretical priest Arius.

Mary leaned over to Saint Ambrose to hand him a quill with which the saint could refute the doctrinal errors of this priest dictated by the Evil One.

Madonna of the Towers At the feet of the Archangel Michael, we can see the body of a toad the size of a man lying on his back like Arius.

This monster symbolizes the demon defeated by the saint with the help of his sword.

Recall that in the 15th century, the Devil was often represented as a monster or an animal.

Bramantino thus represents the Devil as a toad; this animal was associated with witchcraft, which used the venom of its tubercules and thus became the symbolic figure of the demon.

Madonna of the Towers The toad, a viscous and venomous animal associated with avarice or lust, was therefore considered impure.

Recall that Judas was sometimes represented with a toad in his mouth.

The Infant Jesus, in a movement symmetrical to that made by the Virgin towards Saint Ambrose, bends over to Saint Michael the Archangel to welcome the soul of the man represented by the “animula” that the saint holds out to him; it is a soul freed from sin and death after the death of the demon.

Madonna of the Towers This scene of allegiance painted by Bramantino takes place in front of a fortified castle surrounded by several towers, hence the name given to the work later: “The Madonna of the Towers”.

These fortified towers and castle refer to the protection provided by the Virgin.

And it is no coincidence that Marie's corsage is the same grey-blue colour as that of the castle, flanked by the two towers behind her.

Mary herself is the tower that protects the faithful against evil.

Madonna of the Towers