The Madonna of the Pomegranate is a tempera on panel painting created circa 1487 by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli.

The Madonna (art) uses the circular format, better known as a tondo, which focuses the attention on the main characters, the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, who are surrounded symmetrically by angels on each side.

The expression from Our Lady of Sorrows and baby Jesus is intended to remind the viewer of the pain and torture that the Child of God will endure in the future.

Botticelli draws the viewers attention to the Virgin Mary, Jesus and the pomegranate by the use of vertical lines, portraying a shining heavenly light.

[5] The most significant innovation in this work was the use of tempera grassa, a type of paint in which egg yolk was modified with adding oil.

The faces of the women he paints are pale, porcelain-like with vague pink brushes over areas of the cheek, nose and mouth.

Botticelli paints infants, such as the Child of God with more intense colors such as cinnabar glazes and accents of red lake.

In the late 15th century, Botticelli was introduced to the reappearance of interest in human anatomy and reclamation of the lost medical knowledge from ancient times.

During the time of the Renaissance, artists found it very valuable to become anatomists, which led them to a better understanding of the human body which would improve their artwork to be more life like.

In the Christian religion, pomegranates symbolize the transition from life to death and resurrection as it eventually will be born again from the seeds that are left behind.

[7] The red seeds displayed in the opened pomegranate are meant to remind the viewer of the bloodshed by Jesus, which saved humankind.

These surprising analogies with actual cardiac anatomy and its depiction over the chest make likely the hypothesis of a heart hidden in the fruit held by Mary and Jesus.

The Virgin Mary's duties as a mother also include, providing protection, teaching necessary skills, rules and values in which Jesus will carry with him for the rest of his life.