Jakob Schlesinger, after Raphael, 'The Sistine Madonna', probably 1822
About the work
Overview
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
Details
- 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
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Cecil Gould, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Schools’, London 1987; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1962Gould, Cecil, National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Schools (excluding the Venetian), London 1962
-
1987Gould, Cecil, National Gallery Catalogues: The Sixteenth Century Italian Schools, London 1987
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
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.