The 'Virgin with the long thigh' sitting with the Christ Child, St John the Baptist and St Joseph 1513 - 1524

Marcantonio Raimondi's "Virgin with the long thigh" sitting with the Christ Child, St John the Baptist and St Joseph is a 16th-century engraving depicting the Holy Family in a classical setting. The composition is balanced, with the Virgin Mary reclining in the center surrounded by the other figures, St Joseph in the background, and St John the Baptist kneeling at her feet. The dramatic use of chiaroscuro, the interplay of light and shadow, enhances the realism of the figures, while the ruins in the background evoke a sense of history and grandeur. Raimondi's engraving is an example of the High Renaissance style, characterized by its emphasis on classical ideals of beauty and proportion. It was widely copied and circulated throughout Europe, contributing to the dissemination of Italian art.