Pietà (recto); Madonna and two cherubs (verso)
Original title: Pietà (recto); Madonna and two cherubs (verso)
kurzbeschreibung
This sheet holds two subjects by Raphael (Raffaello Santi): a Pietà on the front and a Madonna with two putti on the back. The sixteenth-century drawing was made with brush and brown ink, accented by white highlights. On the front, Mary supports the body of Christ within a rocky setting.
Description
Christ's body rests forward on a low platform, while Mary stands above it and looks off into the distance. Her long robe and taut posture convey grief and care. Rocks and a sky with a moon frame the figures. Brown and white tones dominate the sheet, and the pale accents lift the forms out of the shadow.
Context
Made in the sixteenth century, the sheet most likely belongs to Raphael's Roman years, when he developed many religious inventions. Drawings of this kind could serve as preparatory studies for paintings or stand on their own as works for collectors. The Madonna and putti on the reverse take up a theme that occupied him often. No specific commission is recorded, but the careful execution points to a significant purpose.
Impact
Muted browns and soft light settle the viewer into a quiet, reflective mood where the sorrow of the Pietà gathers. Calmly drawn lines and a considered arrangement of the figures give the sheet a solemn dignity, drawing the eye toward devotion.
Technique
Brush and brown ink, finished with white highlights, let Raphael model light and volume. This approach, characteristic of his drawings, allowed precise shading and atmospheric depth. At 26 by 20.3 cm the paper stays fairly small, suggesting an intimate study.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)