Madonna Studies 1513

Raphael made these red chalk studies of the Madonna and Child in the early 16th century when he was at the height of his fame in Florence and Rome. This sheet gives us a privileged glimpse into Raphael’s studio practice. Through such drawings, we can see Raphael working through the challenge of representing this key subject for the Catholic Church. His art was deeply enmeshed with the political ambitions of the papacy. Raphael eventually rose to become the Vatican’s chief architect. The architectural sketches here might refer to his duties at the church. At the same time, they are interwoven with religious imagery. Raphael here reflects the period’s merging of sacred and secular power. Close study of surviving drawings, documents, and other archival material is vital to understanding the institutions that shaped art history.