Raffael - Kopf der Madonna Terranuova (Fragment des Kartons), KdZ 11659

This work is a preparatory study showing the face of a young woman looking downward with lowered eyelids and a serene expression. The artist used soft shading and subtle contours to define the features, capturing a moment of quiet contemplation. The paper shows visible signs of wear and age, consistent with its function as a working tool in a sixteenth-century studio.

Raphael's artistic process was deeply influenced by Neoplatonic thought, which sought to depict the 'Idea'—a perfect, divine form that transcends individual nature. His Madonnas were celebrated as the visual embodiment of this philosophical synthesis between Christian theology and the Platonic search for absolute beauty.