The Altarpiece
As stated above, the altarpiece consisted of more than just the main panel. The top molding (now in the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria in Perugia) had a panel of "God the Father in a glory of cherubim, blessing his son." The main panel itself had a frame, parts of which still survive, decorated by griffins' being crowned and fed by winged putti seated on rams’ heads, all of a yellow-bronze color against a blue ground (the Baglioni family crest was a griffin’s head, as well as the name of Atalanta’s husband and son being Grifonetto). Below there was a predella of three grisaille (monochrome) compartments illustrating the Theological Virtues (1507. Oil on panel, three sections of 18 x 44 cm each. Rome, Vatican Gallery). The three panels were originally lined up at the base of the altarpiece to show, left to right, Hope, Charity, and Faith, with each figure flanked by two putti. The subjects of the predellas are meant to relate symbolically to the main panel above: Charity in the center emphasizes the theme of motherhood, while Hope and Faith refer to the principle motif, Christ’s martyrdom. Thus Raphael’s conception not only refers to the theme of the altarpiece, but also to the private circumstances of the donor, Atalanta Baglioni.
Read more about this topic: The Deposition (Raphael)