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

ADOLPHE ANDRÉ WACQUEZ (B. 1814)

Study for a figure of the Virgin

c.1858

Crayon-manner engraving printed in red, with tone plate | 48.8 x 35.3 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 850861

A facsimile of a drawing by Raphael (c.1509-11) formerly in the Musée Wicar, Lille, and now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille (inv. no.457v; see RCIN 850860 for a photograph of this drawing). Published in 'Choix de dessins de Raphael qui font partie de la collection Wicar à Lille', Paris 1858, pl. XX.

The drawing is a preparatory study for the figure of the Virgin in Raphael's so-called ‘Alba Madonna’, a painting now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC (inv. no.1937.1.24; see RCIN 850853.a for a photograph of the painting). See RCIN 850858 for a photograph of the recto of this drawing).

Showing the figure of a woman, seating on the ground, turned to the left, holding a book with her left hand and stretching out her right arm.
  • Creator(s)

    Adolphe André Wacquez (b. 1814) (engraver)

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

  • 48.8 x 35.3 cm (sheet of paper)

    39.0 x 25.4 cm (image)

    48.0 x 34.2 cm (platemark)

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

  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    pp.191-192, no. 545 (Brejon de Lavergnée 1997 : Brejon de Lavergnée, B, 1997. Catalogue des dessins Italiens. Collections du Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille, Paris)

    p. 202, no. 278v (Joannides 1983 : Joannides, P., 1983. The Drawings of Raphael, with a complete catalogue, Oxford)

    pp. 82-88, no. 50 (Capellen 2005 : Capellen, JM, 2005. Raphael : the paintings. Volume 2, The Roman Religious Paintings ca.1508-1520 )