Artwork
Solly Madonna
Solly Madonna is an oil painting by the High Renaissance artist Raphael. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
The Solly Madonna is a painting by Raphael.
It was created between 1500 and 1504.
The painting is held at the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, which suggests it's a significant work from the artist's early career, as not many details are known about this specific piece, but it's clear Raphael was active during this time.
You can learn more about the artist's style and other works by looking up Raphael.
Overview
Created between 1500 and 1504, the Solly Madonna is an early painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. Executed in oil on panel, the work now belongs to the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. Its title derives from the 19th‑century British banker Edward Solly, who once owned the piece.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents the Virgin Mary seated with a book in her hands, a motif that recurs in several of Raphael’s later depictions of the Madonna. A small goldfinch perched nearby adds a symbolic layer, traditionally associated with the Passion of Christ.
Technique & Style
The painting reflects the formative influence of Raphael’s teacher, Perugino, evident in its gentle modeling of figures and balanced spatial arrangement. Raphael’s handling of light and delicate coloration anticipates the more sophisticated approach he would develop in his mature works.
History & Provenance
After passing through the collection of Edward Solly (1776–1848), the work entered the Berlin museum holdings, where it remains on public display. Its provenance traces a typical path for early 19th‑century private collections moving into state institutions.
Context
The Solly Madonna belongs to a period when Raphael was establishing his own visual language while still absorbing the stylistic conventions of his Umbrian predecessors. The inclusion of the reading Madonna and the goldfinch foreshadows themes that would become hallmarks of his later religious paintings.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Raphael was born Raffaello Sanzio in Urbino on April 6, 1483, the son of Giovanni Santi, a painter and poet attached to the ducal court.
