Raffael, (zugeschrieben) - Studien zu einer Madonna

These rapid preparatory sketches show two variations of the Madonna and Child. In the upper study, the figures are rendered in profile with loose, circular strokes, while the lower study depicts the Virgin in a more frontal position holding the infant tightly to her chest. The drawing captures the artist's process of finding a harmonious balance between the two figures.

Raphael's depictions of the Madonna are central to High Renaissance Neoplatonism, representing the 'divine harmony' where physical grace is viewed as an outward manifestation of spiritual perfection. This synthesis of Christian and Platonic ideals sought to elevate the viewer's soul through the contemplation of idealized form, a concept championed by contemporary thinkers like Marsilio Ficino.