“Madonna the Protector” is a religious painting created by Nicholas Roerich in 1933, belonging to the Symbolism art movement. The artwork is housed at the Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork depicts a monumental figure of the Madonna, with an aura of sanctity symbolized by a halo. She is shown wearing a flowing robe that displays intricate designs, covering and sheltering an entire city beneath her outstretched arms. The city’s architecture includes various buildings and structures, rendered in a stylized manner consistent with the Symbolist aesthetic. The composition exudes a sense of protection and benevolence, with the Madonna portrayed as a divine guardian over the urban landscape. Roerich’s use of muted colors and the large, central figure of the Madonna against the background conveys a powerful sense of serene majesty and spiritual safeguarding.
