Madonna and Child (Replica of Raphael Sanzio - Italian School)

Christie's Auction Certificate No. 5227, lot 1046.

The iconographic theme begins with the fundamental one for Western sacred art, the Madonna and Child. It is probably one of the most popular iconographies in the entire history of both Western and Eastern art. The Madonna and Child appears since the dawn of medieval painting and remained a constant subject as long as religious themes dominated artistic production (that is, until the 19th century, when themes inspired by everyday life began to be introduced).

The author of this copy also formally respects all of the painting's Raphaelesque characteristics. First and foremost, the compositional scheme demonstrates the close connection between the young Raphael's work and Leonardo da Vinci's, and is a direct reflection of the aspiration to a classical ideal of harmony and unity in artwork typical of the sixteenth-century Renaissance. The two figures are perfectly enclosed in an ideal pyramid. Furthermore, within this scheme, their position and gestures are calibrated by precise relationships of correspondence and balance. The figures, displaying a typically sixteenth-century monumentality, move with great naturalism, perfectly blending into the space surrounding them. And it is precisely here that the extraordinary skill of the artist who created this copy comes to the fore. Indeed, he is capable of perfectly reproducing the sfumato, still Leonardo-esque, which allows the Madonna and Child to be perfectly integrated into the landscape background of the work.

From a stylistic analysis of the work, we have been able to confirm that the hand of the person who created this master copy is that of a truly excellent painter. An extraordinary technique is essential to perfectly reproduce Raphael's sfumato and the graceful facial expressions typical of the Urbino painter.

The transaction takes place with maximum security for both the seller and the buyer. We take care of the conformity (provenance, authenticity, state of conservation) of the work and handle the shipping.
Returns are possible no later than 14 days after receiving the order.