This painting is based on the illusions which were one of the hallmarks of Dalí's work. The background is a neutral, textured set of brown and golds.
In the foreground, the outline of the Madonna's head in a meditative pose is formed by what appears to be bones of varying sizes and shapes. This may be related to the phase in Dalí's career when he became obsessed with rhinoceros horns and their alleged aphrodisiacal effects. A halo is sketched in what appears to be charcoal on the background above the Madonna's head, while the bones comprising the crown of her head appear to morph into the dome of a basilica, replete with the paneling usually associated with such a structure.
