On the stone to the right the remains of a signature can be seen: BR[jnzin]O FIOR.
The pose of the Madonna can be traced back to Michaelangelo's Tondo Doni (Uffizi Gallery, Florence). Infrared examination of the picture has made it possible to identify major changes by the painter at the level of the preliminary drawing, particularly in the central part of the composition. These apply to the hands of Christ and John the Baptist and also to the foot of the Madonna.
Provenance: acquired by Count A.S.Stroganov (St. Petersburg) at the beginning of 19th century; acquired by the Hermitage from the Stroganov palace-museum (Petrograd) in 1922 and from there it was transferred to "Antiquariat" (Moscow) in 1928; transferred from there to the Pushkin Museum in 1932.