Tapestry Cartoon Fragment: The Top of Woman's Head with Hair Braided over a Cloth Headdress 1500 - 1550

This fragment of a tapestry cartoon, a full-scale design for woven tapestry, is a rare surviving example of Raphael's work. It depicts the top of a woman’s head, with elaborately braided hair framing a cloth headdress. Although the artwork is incomplete and faded, the artist’s masterful skill in depicting form and texture is evident in the detailed rendering of the hair and drapery. The fragment, dating from 1500-1550, is a reminder of Raphael's prolific output, even though the artist died in 1520.