The circle means the Universal, sacred and divine. It implies an idea of movement, and symbolizes the cycle of time, the planets' journey around the sun, the great rhythm of the universe. The circle represents unity, wholeness, and infinity. It also represents the inclusivity of the universe, without beginning or end, without sides or corners. The circle is also zero in our system of numbering, and symbolizes potential, or the embryo.

This shape is popular for religious figures. The circle includes us in the grand scheme. In fact, when a symbol is shown with a circle around it, the symbol beckons the viewer to be drawn in, and included in the experience of whatever symbolic message the center may hold.

A round painting is often called a Tondo. This round painting is best because it strengthens the center, making the picture more self-referential. Tondo and roundels are symbols of the loosening of the connection between artworks and their locations. The style of painting was revived in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.