The Virgin and Child with two Angels

A photograph of a drawing formerly attributed to Raphael now in the Nationalmuseum, Stockholm (inv. no. NMH 290/1863).

On the online catalogue of the Nationalmuseum (see Bibliographic References), this drawing is catalogued as a copy, especially for the manner in which the Madonna and Child are treated. However, the angels on the right and some of the hatching is more spontaneous, revealing the elegance of the 'Calligraphic Forger'. It is probably by the same hand as a Madonna in the British Museum, which, according to the Richardsons, had an old attribution to Timoteo Viti.

The photograph shows the Christ Child seating on a cushion and looking up at His mother, who stands behind Him and is in the attitude of presenting the Child with an object which she holds in her right hand; with two angels at right. The characteristic mount of the collection of Count Carl Gustav Tessin (1695-1770) is also shown.