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 COPYING RAPHAEL (1483-1520)

The Virgin and Child with the Infant Baptist

c.1853-76

Albumen print | 27.9 x 29.7 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 850856

A photograph of a drawing closely resembling the composition of Raphael’s so-called Alba Madonna (c.1509-11), a painting now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC (inv. no.1937.1.24). Ruland (1876) believed the drawing to be the original cartoon by Raphael for the ‘Alba Madonna’ and catalogued it as being then in the Sacristy of the church of San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome. See RCIN 850853.a for a photograph of the painting.

Showing the Virgin seating on the ground and holding the Christ Child on her right leg, who reaches for the cross-staff held by the Infant Baptist who kneels down on the left.
  • Creator(s)

    After a work copying Raphael (1483-1520) (artist)

    Subject(s)

    Blessed Virgin Mary
  • 27.9 x 29.7 cm (sheet of paper)

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

  • Subject(s)
    • Religion & Theology
      • Religions and faiths
        • Christianity
          • Devotional Images of Christ
            • Virgin & Child
          • Life of Christ
            • Infancy of Christ
              • Christ Child
    Object type(s)
      • visual works
        • prints
  • Bibliographic reference(s)

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

    Other number(s)

    Ruland p.68 A.XXV.3