This website presents our knowledge and research on this important aspect of the Royal Collection. As of April 2026 it will not be regularly updated and new research on this topic will sit within the main website.

Holy Families & Madonna and Child

Holy Families & Madonna and Child

AFTER A WORK PREVIOUSLY ATTRIBUTED TO RAPHAEL (1483-1520)

A page from Giorgio Vasari's Libro de' Disegni

c.1853-76

Albumen print | 22.8 x 17.7 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 850674

A photograph of a compilation of drawings mounted by Giorgio Vasari onto one sheet of his Libro de' Disegni, a collection of drawings gathered and sorted by Vasari during the 16th century. This drawing is now in the Albertina, Vienna (inv.no.14179).

At lower centre is a pen and ink drawing formerly attributed to Raphael (see RCIN 850673 for a photograph of it) described by Ruland (1876) as a study for the figure of the Infant Baptist in Raphael's so-called Colonna Altarpiece now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no.1630ab; see RCIN 850667 for a photograph of the painting). This drawing, recently attributed to Francesco Granacci, was pasted by Pierre-Jean Mariette (1694-1774) onto the Libro de' Disegni's sheet, which is formed by other drawings then believed to be by Leonardo da Vinci. 
  • Creator(s)

    After a work previously attributed to Raphael (1483-1520) (artist)

  • 22.8 x 17.7 cm (sheet of paper)

  • Acquired for the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection (c.1853-76)

  • Subject(s)
    • Science, Medicine and Technology
      • Medical sciences
        • Anatomy
          • Heads
    Object type(s)
      • visual works
        • photographs
  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    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)

    Other number(s)

    Ruland p.57 A.VI.8