Artwork
The Holy Family with the Young Saint John the Baptist (The Madonna of the Long Thigh)
The Holy Family with the Young Saint John the Baptist (The Madonna of the Long Thigh) is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Marcantonio Raimondi. It dates from 1518 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1518, this engraving on laid paper presents a compact religious grouping of the Virgin, the infant Christ, the youthful John the Baptist, and a bearded elder. The figures occupy a crumbling architectural niche, their gestures and gazes directed inward, conveying a subdued yet focused atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the Holy Family, with the Virgin holding the Christ Child and the young John reaching toward them, while a bearded figure—likely a saint or prophet—holds a staff and looks upward. The ruined setting may allude to the transition from the old covenant to the new, a common motif in early 16th‑century devotional imagery.
Technique & Style
Executed with fine incised lines, the engraving achieves delicate modelling of drapery and stone through cross‑hatching and tonal shading. The careful rendering of texture and the balanced arrangement of figures reflect the influence of Raphael’s High Renaissance workshop, which Raimondi frequently interpreted in his prints.
History & Provenance
Italian engraver Marcantonio Raimondi, active at the turn of the 16th century, produced the work as part of his broader practice of reproducing Raphael’s designs for a European market. The print circulated widely, contributing to the spread of Raphael’s visual language beyond Italy.
Context
Raimondi’s career was closely linked to Raphael; he often translated the painter’s compositions into prints, a pioneering form of reproductive printmaking. This piece exemplifies that collaborative dynamic, merging the compositional elegance of the High Renaissance with the technical possibilities of copper engraving.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marcantonio Raimondi, often called simply Marcantonio (c. 1470/82 – c. 1534), was an Italian engraver, known for being the first important printmaker whose body of work consists largely of prints copying paintings. He…
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