Raphael

The Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna openend to the public in 1891. Hans Makart (1840–84) had originally been commissioned to execute the painting for the ceiling as well as fanlight, spandrel, and intercolumnar areas as part of the interior decorations in the main staircase of the new built museum. The contract was signed in February 1881; in the same year an imperial delegation was able to view the artist’s initial sketches. Shortly before his death, Makart had completed the fanlight paintings depicting “classical heroes of painting” and their “favourite materials”. Based on the self-portrait in Florence (Uffizi Galleries) Raphael appears here in the company of a model who is a reference to the Loreto Madonna (1511/12; Chantilly, Musée Condé). For this painting Makart did not use the Madonna in the Meadow (c. 1505/06; Inv. No. 175) and thus does not make explicit reference to the imperial collections. For further Information on the building see: Cäcilia Bischoff, The Kunsthistorisches Museum. History, Architecture, Decoration, Vienna 2010