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Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileA collection of rapid sketches exploring the posture and interaction of infants and a seated maternal figure. The artist uses fine lines to experiment with the weight and balance of the children, including a central study of the Virgin holding a child. A solitary, detailed study of a human hand is positioned at the bottom center of the page.
These sketches reflect the High Renaissance pursuit of 'disegno' and the Neoplatonic ideal of capturing divine harmony through perfect geometric proportions. Raphael's search for a balanced pyramidal composition was intended to mirror the inherent mathematical order of the cosmos as discussed in the Florentine Academy.
Marsilio Ficino
Raphael's search for ideal beauty through geometric harmony aligns with Ficino's Neoplatonic theories on the relationship between symmetry and divine light.
Object
Oil on panel
religious
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
https://sammlungenonline.albertina.at/ "Raffaello Santi" (KÜNSTLER_IN) Graphische Sammlung (Sammlung)
850 × 582 px
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on March 31, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.