Madonna Diotallevi

The Madonna Diotallevi (c. 1502–04) in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, named after a former owner, dates to Raphael's early career in Umbria and shows the half-length Madonna and Child with the infant John. The format — Madonna, Christ Child, and Baptist in a triangular arrangement — was one Raphael would repeat with endless variations throughout his career, each time finding new ways to animate the composition with natural gesture and psychological warmth. This early version shows the influence of Perugino in the serene facial expressions and balanced symmetry, while Raphael's own contribution is the slightly increased animation and the more naturalistic treatment of the children's interaction.

The clear, bright palette and precisely defined forms show Perugino's influence, but Raphael's figures have a livelier, more psychologically engaged quality than his teacher's often static compositions.