Botticelli's Madonna In The Louvre
The narrator visits the Louvre and becomes fascinated with Botticelli's Madonna, which sparks a series of memories and reflections about her own life, including her unhappy marriage and unfulfilled desires. As she gazes at the painting, she begins to identify with the Madonna's serene and enigmatic smile, seeing parallels between their lives. The narrator's inner turmoil is juxtaposed with the calm and beauty of the artwork, leading to a deeper understanding of herself and her place in society.
By Edith Wharton · First published 1902 · Genre: Poetry, Religious Literature, Historical Fiction · 166 words
First lines
WHAT strange presentiment, O Mother, lies / On thy waste brow and sadly-folded lips, / Forefeeling the Light's terrible eclipse / On Calvary, as if love made thee wise, / And thou couldst read in those dear infant eyes / The sorrow that beneath their smiling sleeps, / And guess what bitter tears a mother weeps / When the cross darkens her unclouded skies?
Sad Lady, if some mother, passing thee, / Should feel a throb of thy foreboding pain, / And think -- "My child at home clings so to me, / With the same smile. and yet in vain, in vain, / Since even this Jesus died on Calvary" -- / Say to her then: "He also rose again. "
What this Textopian page supports
Botticelli's Madonna In The Louvre is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edith Wharton, dated 1902 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Edith Wharton
- Date: 1902 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Religious Literature, Historical Fiction
- Length: 166 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Botticelli's Madonna In The Louvre by Edith Wharton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- Some Literary Notes by Oscar Wilde
- Explanation Of An Ancient Woodcut Representing Hans Sachs Poetical Mission by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
- One Of The Least Of These My Little One by Georgia Douglas Johnson
- Lionel Johnson Ernest Dowson Aubrey Beardsley by Joyce Kilmer
- Quem Vidistis Pastores Etc by Alice Meynell
- The Holy Grail by Alfred Tennyson
Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse, with a rhythmic and rhyming structure, characteristic of poetry.
- Religious Literature — The work discusses religious themes, specifically referencing the Christian figures of Jesus and Mary, and the event of the crucifixion and resurrection.
- Historical Fiction — The work references historical figures and events, specifically from Christian history, though it does so in a fictionalized context.
Tags
Art Criticism · Italian Renaissance · Florence · Paris · Louvre Museum · Botticelli · Madonna · Renaissance Art · Feminine Beauty · Religious Iconography · Christian Art · Virgin Mary