The Beautiful Gardener (1507–1508), 122×80 cm, oil on canvas, Musée du Louvre, Paris. Also known as the Madonna of the Garden, this work is deeply influenced by Leonardo da Vinci; it is full of vitality within its rigorous and perfect pyramidal structure. The interaction among the figures creates a strong impression of flowing gazes. The gentle Virgin Mary accompanies Jesus and John in a bright garden. Centered on her dignified and approachable presence, she holds the child (Jesus) nestled under her skirt with her left hand, gazing at him warmly. The child looks up, answering his mother with innocent eyes. On the other side of the Virgin sits the lively child (John the Baptist) holding a cross, turning his head to observe Jesus, creating a vivid visual dialogue. This shares the same compositional concept as Raphael’s other famous Madonna, the Madonna of the Meadow (1506), though the order is reversed. Here, Raphael emphasizes robust forms, presenting the most perfect image of classicism within solid, sturdy volumes. The bright landscape behind the Virgin, with verdant fields fading into distant hills and a village surrounding the lake shore, along with a prominent church in the right corner, reveals Raphael’s deep influence from Flemish painting. We can see that Raphael loved the beauty of the human form; his sensitive expression in this regard possesses a civilizing power equal to his intellectual representation. Michelangelo had no interest in women, and Leonardo’s women are shrouded in mysterious beauty beyond imagination, whereas Raphael, like the Venetians, passionately loved women.