Madonna of the Chair - Eugen Eduard Schäffer

A fine engraving by Eugen Eduard Schäffer, reproducing Raphael's iconic circular composition of the Madonna and Child.

This fine art print is an engraving by the German artist Eugen Eduard Schäffer, based on the celebrated circular painting by Raphael. Schäffer was a skilled printmaker known for his ability to translate the tonal qualities of Renaissance oil paintings into the precise medium of engraving. The composition depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the Christ Child, with the young John the Baptist positioned to the right. The circular format, or tondo, forces the figures into a close, intimate arrangement that emphasises the physical connection between mother and child.

Schäffer employs a variety of line weights and cross-hatching techniques to replicate the soft modelling of the original figures. The drapery of the Virgin's garments and the delicate features of the children are rendered with technical precision. By removing the colour of the original painting, the engraving draws attention to the structural composition and the balance of the forms within the circular frame. The work reflects the nineteenth-century European interest in reproducing Old Master paintings for wider distribution, allowing collectors to appreciate the formal qualities of Raphael's work in a monochrome format.

The print captures the serene expression of the Madonna and the naturalistic posture of the infants, which were hallmarks of Raphael's style during his Roman period. Schäffer's work demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship required to interpret such a well-known image, maintaining the emotional resonance of the original while adapting it to the requirements of the engraving plate. This piece is a representative example of the nineteenth-century tradition of reproductive printmaking, which played a role in the dissemination of classical art history across Europe.