The Virgin of Carmen and the Souls of Purgatory with St. Joseph and the Prophet Elijah

This painting has a lot going on, but it really draws your eye right to the center where the Virgin Mary is sitting quite gracefully on a cloud. She’s wearing this beautiful, deep blue cloak trimmed with gold over a brown dress, and she has a crown resting on her head. In her arms, she's holding the baby Jesus, who looks surprisingly chubby and sweet, just looking out at us. Around them, there's a soft, glowing light that sort of separates them from everything else. Now, on the left side, there is St. Joseph, dressed in a green robe with a brownish cloak over it. He’s holding a staff with some white flowers blooming at the top, looking up toward Mary with a really gentle expression. Then on the other side the right, you’ve got the prophet Elijah. He looks older, with a gray beard, and he’s holding this flaming sword, which looks pretty intense compared to the rest of the scene. Down at the bottom, things take a bit of a darker turn. There are all these souls trapped in purgatory, surrounded by orange and red flames. They look pretty desperate, honestly some have their hands clasped in prayer, while others are reaching upwards, just hoping for some kind of help or relief. One guy on the far left even has a chain on his arm. It's a stark contrast to the peaceful look on Mary's face as she looks down toward them, holding out a scapular, like she's offering them a way out. There are also tons of little angel heads with wings cherubs, I guess, floating around in the clouds both above Mary and right under her feet, watching the whole thing unfold. The overall mood feels very dramatic but hopeful at the same time, with the soft, heavenly clouds above and the harsh fire below creating a pretty powerful balance.