▁such ▁an ▁emb od iment ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁of ▁Christian ity , ▁for ▁several ▁reasons . ▁ ▁First , ▁the ▁execution ▁was ▁near ▁perfect ▁and ▁well - we ather ed ▁the ▁test ▁of ▁centuries ▁of ▁time . ▁The ▁gold ▁within ▁the ▁painting ▁looks ▁real , ▁but ▁was ▁totally ▁painted ▁by ▁affect . ▁Second ly , ▁another ▁test ▁of ▁a ▁great ▁painting , ▁the ▁characters ▁look ▁ser ene . ▁ ▁Third , ▁the ▁painting ▁attract s ▁attention ▁to ▁the ▁spirit ▁or ▁soul ▁of ▁a ▁character , ▁rather ▁than ▁their ▁appearance . ▁And , ▁last , ▁you ▁see ▁joy , ▁content ment ▁or ▁beauty ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁the ▁subject , ▁not ▁negative ▁con not ations , ▁such ▁as ▁pain ▁or ▁vil eness . ▁ ▁Each ▁subject ▁and ▁the ▁landscape ▁of ▁" A ns ide i ▁Madonna " ▁ev okes ▁ser en ity ▁and ▁div inity : ▁ ▁Madonna , ▁by ▁her ▁complete ▁dev otion ▁to ▁her ▁child , ▁ ▁Christ ▁child ▁through ▁his ▁secure ▁faith ▁in ▁his ▁mother , ▁ ▁St . ▁John ▁through ▁his ▁cont empl ative ▁expression ▁of ▁his ▁spiritual ▁journey , ▁ ▁Bishop ▁Nicholas ▁of ▁B ari ▁through ▁spiritual ▁knowledge , ▁and ▁ ▁the ▁so othing ▁landscape ▁and ▁the ▁open , ▁infinite ▁sky , ▁closest ▁to ▁God . ▁ ▁The ▁three ▁balls ▁at ▁Bishop ▁Nicholas ' ▁feet ▁may ▁symbol ize ▁the ▁holy ▁tr inity , ▁or ▁the ▁three ▁b ags ▁of ▁gold ▁he ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁thrown ▁into ▁the ▁window ▁of ▁a ▁poor ▁man ' s ▁home ▁for ▁his ▁daughters