{"product_id":"the-alba-madonna-raphael","title":"The Alba Madonna - Raphael","description":"\u003cp\u003eA circular High Renaissance masterpiece by Raphael, depicting the Virgin Mary with the infant Christ and John the Baptist in a serene, balanced composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Alba Madonna is a circular painting, or tondo, produced by Raphael during his Roman period. It depicts the Virgin Mary seated in a rural setting, accompanied by the infant Christ and the young John the Baptist. The composition is organised around a complex, interlocking arrangement of the three figures, which creates a sense of unity and balance. The Virgin Mary holds a book in her left hand, while her right arm reaches towards the infant Christ. The child reaches for a cross held by John the Baptist, a gesture that prefigures the future passion of Christ.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRaphael employs a soft, sfumato technique to model the figures, allowing for smooth transitions between light and shadow. This approach gives the skin tones a naturalistic quality. The drapery of the Virgin's robes, rendered in deep blue and rose, provides a contrast to the pale flesh of the children. The background features a serene, open view of the Italian countryside, with distant hills and a river, which adds depth to the scene. The circular format of the panel requires a careful distribution of weight and form, which Raphael achieves by curving the bodies of the figures to follow the perimeter of the frame.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work demonstrates the artist's mastery of classical proportion and human expression. The gazes of the figures are directed towards one another, creating an internal narrative that draws the viewer into their quiet interaction. The painting was originally commissioned for the church of San Domenico in Nocera de' Pagani. It later became part of the collection of the Dukes of Alba in Spain, from which it derives its common name. The work is now housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains a representative example of the technical precision and aesthetic harmony associated with the High Renaissance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/nl\/products\/marriage-of-the-virgin-pietro-perugino\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMarriage of the Virgin by Pietro Perugino\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/nl\/products\/madonna-of-the-magnificat-sandro-botticelli\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMadonna of the Magnificat by Sandro Botticelli\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/nl\/collections\/raphael\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#2a555a;border:1px solid #2a555a;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#ffffff;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eRaphael prints →\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Raphael","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59474392187215,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59474408800591,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":59474408833359,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59474408866127,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59474408898895,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59474408931663,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59474408964431,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59474408997199,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59474409029967,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59474409062735,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":59474409095503,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59474409128271,"sku":null,"price":99.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/The-Alba-Madonna_Poster_CompositorV1_1794397017522.jpg?v=1794440523","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/nl\/products\/the-alba-madonna-raphael","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}