On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P00301
- Author
- Raphael (Italian), Romano, Giulio (Italian)
- Title
- The Holy Family, or The Pearl
- Chronology
- Ca. 1518
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 147,4 cm x 116 cm x 2,8 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- Yes
- Entrance
- COLECCIONREAL
- Procedence
- Royal Collection
Felipe IV called this painting The
Pearl, as it was his favorite among
all those in his collection. There
is some disagreement as to who
painted it, but the drawing of the
composition is generally attributed
to Raphael, who would have given it
to Giulio Romano to finish.
Notable here, as in other late
works by Raphael, are the
importance given to the landscape,
and an interest in contrasting
light. Both of these aspects can be
attributed to the artist's renewed
contact with Leonardo in Rome
between 1513 and 1516. Leonardo's
influence is also clear in the
pyramidal distribution of the
figures.
The work was painted for Ludovico
Canossa, and successively passed
through the collections of the Duke
and Duchess of Mantua, Charles I of
England and Luis de Haro, who gave
it to Felipe IV.
Listen to the
audioguideLocation on the map
