A figure of a youth from the fresco 'Pius II at Ancona'

A print reproducing a figure at the left of the fresco 'Pope Pius II at Ancona' painted by Pinturicchio and his workshop (1502-07/08) in the Piccolomini Library in Siena Cathedral. Lettered with the title and publication details. Signed and dated by the printmaker and the intrmediate draughtsman. This figure was supposed to depict Raphael.

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 fresco this print reproduces, see RCIN 853787.