A group of four soldiers

A print after a metalpoint drawing by Raphael in the Ashmolean, Oxford (inv. no.WA1846.154) for the fresco 'Enea Silvio Piccolomini crowned Poet Laureate by Emperor Frederick III' painted by Pinturicchio and his workshop (1502-07/08) in the Piccolomini Library in Siena Cathedral. Lettered with attribution of the design to Raphael, title and publication details. Annotated on the verso in ink. Published in William Young Ottley's 'Italian School of Design' (1808-23).

The decoration of the Piccolomini library was commissioned by Cardinal Francesco Todeschino Piccolomini (later Pope Pius III) in 1502 from Raphael's older Perugian contemporary Pinturicchio. The frescoes illustrate events in the life of Pope Pius II (Enea Silvio Piccolomini), the Cardinal's uncle. Vasari credited Raphael with executing 'some drawings and some cartoons' for the library at the express request of Pinturicchio. Scholarly opinion has been divided over the attribution of preparatory drawings for the frescoes, but at least five drawings convincingly related to the decorative scheme are considered to be by Raphael (see Bibliographic References). For a photograph of the drawing which this print reproduces, see RCIN 853758.