Apparition of the Sibyl to Emperor August 

Above painting (Click here for bigger size) is from an Italian Renaissance painter Paris Bordone, lived between 1500 and 1571. In the painting the Sybil shows emperor Augustus that Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ are coming from sky. In the depicted scene we see lots of applications of what Alberti advise painters to do. 

First related topic with Alberti's ideas is historia. As he said, making absent present is one of the virtues of painting and this painting definitely recreation of the past.The most visible example of the historia in the painting is living presentation of death people such as; Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, Roman emperor Augustus and the Sibyl. Painters are able to make death immortal by visualizing them again. This recreation gives divinely powers to painters because it is similar to how God created the universe. Also in the painting we also see the architecture of ancient times. For instance, the arches and colons are also recreated for observer to live these moment and invoke their emotions.

The other theme related with Alberti's ideas is the composition of the painting. He divided painting into three parts; circumscription, composition and reception of light. In this painting we see strong usage of advises about composition from Alberti. Composition is correct relationship between members of the painting, the harmony. However, before composition painter should focus on individual movements and expressions of the members then combine each member in relation to each other. To give an obvious instance we should look at the members of the painting. First of all the Sibyl, the woman in blue dress in the middle of the painting, is informing the emperor Augustus  in a surprise and pointing to the sky, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. Also the emperor Augistin's amazement is obvious because of the motion of his hands and his expression. Besides, the man on the stairs is pointing to the Virgin and Jesus Christ in a hurry. From all these examples we can conclude that different members in the painting is in an appropriate relation with each other and this makes the painting harmonious.

Also I find particularly interesting the unfinished building on the left top of the painting and this makes me think about Alberti's ideas about self cultivation and progress of humanity because I think the unfinished building through the Virgin and Jesus Christ represents innovation and change. Besides, people who are not able to see the Virgin and Jesus Christ are in the shade and this can be a representation of unenlightened part. Therefore, overall this painting represents with the birth of Jesus Christ, humanity will develop further.

To conclude I find applications of Alberti's writings in the "Apparition of the Sibyl to Emperor August" excessively successful. These are related with his conception of historia, composition of the members and development of human potential.