Woodner Collection Master Drawings, Exhibition Press, MG 6728

This drawing captures the expressive features of a horse, emphasizing the anatomy of the eye, flared nostrils, and the flowing textures of the mane. The artist uses dense hatching and tonal variations to create a sense of three-dimensional volume and physical vitality.

Raphael’s precise observations of animal anatomy reflect the Renaissance synthesis of art and natural philosophy, where the rigorous study of the physical world was seen as a means of uncovering the divine proportions and order of the cosmos.