Draft:Madonna of Leo X

The Madonna of Leo X is an oil painting on canvas, measuring 119 x 82.5 cm, painted by Raphael in 1513.

History
This Madonna emerged during the transitional phase following the demise of Pope Julius II and preceding the conclusion of the conclave. Raphael presented it as a token of friendship to Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici, who ascended to the papal throne with the name of Leo X in March 1513, as indicated by the inscription on the hem of the Virgin´s dress: “LEONI P.O.M.I.R.U.” and "RAPHAE .LO U. '', which can be deciphered in "Leoni Pontifico Optimo Maximo Incoronato Raphael Urbinas", followed by Raphael´s signature.

Provenance
The painting underwent a lineage of ownership subsequent to Pope Leo X, passing into the possession of the Cybo family via Innocenzo Cybo, Archbishop of Genoa, and thereafter to the Cambiaso family, being exhibited in Giovanni Battista Cambiaso's palace in Genoa in 1766. Notably, in 1868, it was acquired by financier Jacob Weiss-Sulzer, then residing in Vienna, eventually bequeathing it to the current owner´s private collection situated in Zurich, Switzerland.

Description
Comparative analysis reveals striking parallels between the Madonna of Leo X and the La Belle Jardinière housed within the Louvre, suggesting a thematic continuum and potential conceptual evolution from the latter. Noteworthy disparities manifest in the landscape depiction, notably the lowered perspective encompassing Tiber Island, Torre del Castello, and the church of San Bartolomeo, evoking pre-1527 topographical verisimilitude. The proliferation of copies underscores the enduring renown of the Madonna of Leo X as template, exemplified by the one at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, dating back to 1547 and attributed to the Duke of Massa, related to the Cybo family.

Scientific scrutiny, conducted through multiple investigations on analogous canvases such as the Velata in the Palazzo Pitti and the Portrait of Baldassarre Castiglione in the Louvre, has unveiled shared compositional techniques. Notably, the implementation of a red bolus primer, reminiscent of Venetian artistic methodologies, allowing for a faster application of colours. It is conceivable that Raphael acquired this technique through his collaboration with Sebastiano del Piombo during their cooperating tenure at the Villa Farnesina. Furthermore, analytical methodologies have revealed instances of Pentimenti, notably in the facial features of the infant Baptist, alongside an underlying schematic sketch, indicative of Raphael's iterative compositional process.