Sistine Madonna is an masterpiece of the Italian artist Raphael. It was an altarpiece painting for the church of San Sisto, Piacenze. The painting has been highly praised by many critics, and was thought to be the

the painting, under the opened curtain, the Virgin holding a baby Jesus slowly flew from clouds to land. Her feet, kneeling old Pope Sixtus and young beautiful Saint Varvara. In front of them were two lovely angels. The Virgin has a beautiful and quiet face, although she knew she have to sacrifice her son to save mankind. Baby Jesus nestled in his mother’s arms, his eyes were open and seemed looking at us. He seems knew everything.

Upon the commission of Pope Julius II in 1512 to honor Pope Sixtus, Raphael finished the painting around 1513 to 1514. After finished, the painting was kept in the church San Sisto in Piacenza as an altarpiece. It was removed to Dresden until 1754 when sold to Augustus III of Poland for 110,000 – 120,000 francs. During the Second World War, the oil painting was stored with other works of art in a tunnel in Saxon Switzerland, and then took by the Red Army. In 1955, the Soviets decided to return the painting with other treasures to Germany for the purpose of strengthening and furthering the progress of friendship between Soviet and German people. After its return to Germany, the painting was restored to display in the Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister of Dresden.

Sistine Madonna is the most famous and the top madonna paintings, highly praised by people around the world from the day it came out.