Francis Holy Family   

The Holy Family of Francis I (1518)

by:   del Colle   |    Raphael   |    Romano      patron:   Leo X   |    Lorenzo de' Medici      category: Painting   
related artifacts: Francis cartoon fragment 1 | Francis cartoon fragment 2 | Francis I Virgin and Child study 1 | Francis I Virgin and Child study 2 | Francis I Virgin and Child study 3 | Madonna Quercia

note:  Commission for this painting came from Leo X but was brokered by either Lorenzo de' Medici or Cardinal Bibbiena. Dating of this painting secured thanks to the accompanying inscription: "RAPHAEL URBINAS/S PINGEBAT MDXVIII . . . ROMAE". Vasari mentions work in life of Giulio Romano; According to Hartt, this painting was a collaboration in which Romano conjured the figure of Saint Elizabeth, Raphael the figure of Joseph, and Raffaellino del Colle all of the other components. Later cleaning confirmed the presence of multiple hands but redistributed the work: as Ferino Pagden (1989) recounts, Raphael was given the Madonna, Christ child, and Saint Joseph; Romano Saint Elizabeth and Saint John; del Colle the two angels with the assistance of Penni; and da Udine in the completion of the flowers (137). Henry/Joannides (2013) also propose da Udine as creator of marble tiles in foreground but also suggest this could be the work of Romano (p. 137).