The Virgin supported by the Holy Women, after Raphael, 1895,0915.616

This pen and ink drawing depicts the Virgin Mary in a state of physical collapse, her head tilted back and eyes closed in sorrow. Three female companions lean in to catch her weight, their bodies intertwined in a coordinated effort to support her. The composition uses delicate cross-hatching to define the volume of the drapery and the emotional intensity of the mourning figures.