Virgin and Child with Saint John (Madonna of the Veil)

The Virgin and Child with Saint John, known as the Madonna of the Veil, is a Raphael composition type that was replicated widely across the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The original — Raphael likely produced several versions — shows the Virgin drawing back a veil over the sleeping Christ Child, with the infant Saint John nearby. The intimate, tender gesture and the circular or near-circular composition (a tondo-type) were enormously popular with collectors. The c.1600 date again points to a copy or derivation rather than an autograph Raphael, reflecting the ongoing commercial demand for works in his manner.

The veil composition creates a diagonal movement from upper right to lower left as Mary lifts the thin cloth from the sleeping child. The warm sfumato modelling of the flesh contrasts with the crisp rendering of the veil's translucency. The format is likely an oval or circular panel.