The façade of Palazzo Branconio dell'Aquila

A photograph reproducing a pen and ink drawing now in the Uffizi (inv. no. 230 A r) depicting the façade of Palazzo Branconio dell'Aquila, a lost palace designed by Raphael c.1520 for Giovanni Battista Branconio dell'Aquila, a papal advisor and goldsmith. The drawing has been recently attributed to Giovanni Battista Naldini and dated c.1560 at the time of his first Roman journey (see Bibliographic References).

Palazzo Branconio dell'Aquila used to stand in the Borgo rione (district), close to St Peter's Basilica, and it was demolished in 1661 to open a small square (Piazza Rusticucci) in front of the Colonnade of St Peter's Square. Thanks to many written and graphic documents related to the various phases of this project, this is one of Raphael's best known architectural endeavours (see Bibliographic References).