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Exhibitions and records of works of art

Prince Albert recognised the importance of photography to record and document notable exhibitions and works of art

AFTER RAPHAEL (URBINO 1483-ROME 1520)

Study for God the Father blessing

1860

Albumen print | 11.4 x 10 cm (image) | RCIN 2864144

A photograph of a squared pen and ink study from the model by Raphael (c.1506-07) now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille (inv. no.465).

Ruland (1876) described the drawing as a study for the figure of God the Father in the lunette of the so-called ‘Colonna Altarpiece’ now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no.1630ab; see RCIN 850667). See RCIN 850667 for a photograph of the painting.

The drawing is now generally considered as a preparatory study for the lunette of Raphael’s ‘Entombment’ (1507, Galleria di Villa Borghese, Rome, inv. no.170). See RCIN 850290 for a photograph of the lunette depicting God the Father that Ruland (1876) catalogued as a copy by Stefano Amadei after the tympanum of the 'Baglioni Altarpiece'. This painting is now in the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, Perugia (inv. no. 288) and it is dubitatively attributed to Domenico Alfani. It is matter of dispute whether the painting is a copy after a (now lost) work by Raphael or whether Raphael "left the execution of the painting to an assistant" (see Bibliographic References).

Showing a half length male figure leaning forward, gazing down to the left, with his right hand raised in benediction.

A copy of this photograph (RCIN 850670) can be found in the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection, portfolio 8 (970567)

  • Creator(s)

    After Raphael (Urbino 1483-Rome 1520) (artist)

    Attributed to Robert Jefferson Bingham (1825-70) (photographer)

  • 11.4 x 10 cm (image)

  • Acquired by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

  • Subject(s)
    • Religion & Theology
      • Religions and faiths
        • Christianity
          • God (Christianity)
            • God the Father
  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    Brejon de Lavergnée 1997 : Brejon de Lavergnée, B, 1997. Catalogue des dessins Italiens. Collections du Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille, Paris
    p. 184, no. 530

    Joannides 1983 : Joannides, P., 1983. The Drawings of Raphael, with a complete catalogue, Oxford
    p. 167, no. 141

    Capellen 2001 : Capellen, JM, 2001. Raphael : the paintings. Volume 1, The Beginning in Umbria and Florence ca.1500-1508
    pp. 233-246, no. 30 and 31E (for the Baglioni Altarpiece)

    Capellen 2001 : Capellen, JM, 2001. Raphael : the paintings. Volume 1, The Beginning in Umbria and Florence ca.1500-1508
    pp. 172-185, no. 17 (for the Colonna Altarpiece)