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Jakob Schlesinger, after Raphael, 'The Sistine Madonna', probably 1822

About the work

Jakob Schlesinger (1792–1855) made this tracing in 1822 of the Sistine Madonna by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael (1483–1520). Drawn in pencil, it is formed of 24 pieces of paper pasted together and mounted on a canvas the same size as the painting. Schlesinger was a painter and picture restorer who was active in Dresden from 1820 to 1823, before moving to Berlin.

The Sistine Madonna was commissioned in 1512 as an altarpiece for San Sisto in Piacenza. Flanked by Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara, the Virgin Mary stands on clouds as she holds the infant Christ. At the bottom of the picture, two winged cherubs rest their heads upon their arms. One of the last Madonnas that Raphael painted – he died aged only 37 – it was described by the historian Vasari as ‘a truly rare and extraordinary work’. Now in the Gemäldegalerie, Dresden, it had a significant influence on German art.

Key facts

Full title
The Sistine Madonna
Artist
Jakob Schlesinger, after Raphael
Artist dates
1792 - 1855; 1483 - 1520
Date made
probably 1822
Medium and support
pencil on paper, mounted on canvas
Dimensions
257.8 × 203.2 cm
Acquisition credit
Presented by Messrs P. & D. Colnaghi, Scott & Co, 1860
Inventory number
NG661
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection
Previous owners

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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