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Madonna of the Chair

unknown (Copy after Rafael Santi)

Basic information

ID: Ж-1891
Author: unknown (Copy after Rafael Santi)
Name: Madonna of the Chair
Technique: oil painting
Material: canvas oil
Dimensions: 30.7 x 30.5 cm (height x width)

Additionally

Type: painting
Genre: religious
Plot: Madonna. The Virgin Mary and Christ Child
Provenance: the Lubomirski collection
Exposition: Potocki Palace

Information about author

Author: unknown (Copy after Rafael Santi)
Country: Italy
Biography: Raphael Santi (1483–1520) was born in Urbino and studied under Perugino, the master of Pinturicchio. His stay in Florence between 1504 and 1508 was crucial for Raphael's artistic development, as he significantly changed his style after studying the works of the great Florentine masters, including da Vinci and Botticelli. Later, the artist was invited to the papal court in Rome, where he remained until his death in 1520, decorating the Vatican papal chambers with frescoes and creating an exceptional series of portraits and independent easel paintings on religious themes. Raphael had many students; the most famous were Giulio Romano, Perino del Vaga, and Polidoro da Caravaggio. In Florence, Raphael created about 20 images of Madonna. The themes were standard, with Madonna either holding Jesus or with him playing alongside John the Baptist. However, all of the depictions of Mary are unique and stand out with remarkable maternal beauty, including "Madonna del Granduca" (1505), "Madonna of the Carnations" (c. 1506), and "Madonna under a Canopy" (1506–1508). Among the best works of this period are "Madonna Terranuova" (1504–1505), "Madonna of the Goldfinch" (1506), and "Madonna and Child with the Infant John the Baptist" (La Belle Jardinière) (1507–1508).

Object description

This tondo by an unknown artist of the 18th–19th centuries is a high-quality reduced copy of the painting by the prominent Italian High Renaissance master Raphael (Raffaello Santi da Urbino, 1483–1520).
Raphael's original masterpiece, "Madonna della seggiola" ("Madonna della sedia" / "Madonna of the Chair", 1513–1514, oil on panel, 71 cm in diameter, tondo), is housed in the Palatine Gallery at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence.
The canvas from the collection of Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery is compositionally and colourwise identical to the original work.
The Virgin Mary sits in a low armchair, tenderly embracing the infant Jesus and leaning her head against her Son's. Her calm, slightly melancholic gaze is directed at the viewer. She is dressed in rich garments featuring elements of contemporary Italian folk costume.
Depicted on the right, the young John the Baptist looks at Jesus and the Virgin Mary with reverence and love, his hands clasped together in prayer against his chest.

Legal regulation

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery

Madonna of the Chair

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