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 ATTRIBUTED TO GIOVANNI FRANCESCO PENNI (1496-C. 1536)

Study of the figure of St Joseph

c.1860-76

Carbon print | 23.1 x 13.2 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 850921

A photograph of a drawing attributed to G.F. Penni now in the Albertina, Vienna (inv. no.235). The drawing is related to the figure of St Joseph in the so-called ‘Madonna del Divino Amore’ (c.1516), a painting currently attributed to Raphael’s workshop and now in the Museo e Gallerie Nazionali di Capodimonte, Naples (inv. no.146, see RCIN 850910). Showing a full-length standing male figure, in profile to the right, wrapped in a cloak. Ruland believed the drawing to be by Raphael.
  • Creator(s)

    After a work attributed to Giovanni Francesco Penni (1496-c. 1536) (artist)

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

  • 23.1 x 13.2 cm (sheet of paper)

  • Acquired for the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection (c.1860-76)

  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    p.144, no.84 (Oberhuber/Gnann 1999 : Roma e lo stile classico di Raffaello, 1515-1527 / a cura di Konrad Oberhuber ; catalogo di Achim Gnann, 1999)

    under no.46; fig.89 (Henry/Joannides 2012 : Late Raphael, 2012. Edited by T. Henry and P. Joannides)

    pp. 247-251, no. A8 (Capellen 2005 : Capellen, JM, 2005. Raphael : the paintings. Volume 2, The Roman Religious Paintings ca.1508-1520 )