Bartsch 3; TIB 3; Delaborde 3; Shoemaker & Broun 24. Verso bears collector’s stamp of K. E. von Liphart (1808-1891), (Lugt 1687). This print was probably in his December 1876 sale. An early, rich and brilliant impression, almost certainly lifetime; the “oily” characteristic of the ink indicates a printing before the sack of Rome in 1527. The printed areas of the print are in overall very good condition, except for a 1-1/4″x1-1/4″ replaced paper at the upper left corner; also with a 1″ x 1/2′ repaired hole in blank area near edge of upper left repaired corner and with a 1 1/8″x 1/2″ replaced, corner at upper right. The woodgrain in this area has been skillfully redrawn in ink, either with a pen or brush, and does not match the pattern of the original plate. With a 1mm paper loss at upper right paper edge 1/2″ down from top. Also with a 1/4″ repaired tear at infant’s heel along right middle paper edge, a 1/2″ repaired tear along right paper edge at center of woman’s robe, and a 1/2″ repaired tear at foot of the cherub at the left middle paper edge. Also with a 1/16″ repaired hole at bottom right corner. Also with a horizontal fold line, visible verso only, across lower center of the print.Trimmed to, on, or just within image borderline, with the majority of image borderline visible on all sides. This impression is slightly earlier and stronger than the fine impression found at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Ex-collection Michael Berolzheimer.

This quintessential Renaissance print is after a fresco in the vault of Stanza d’Eliodoro by Raphael, above the”Meeting of Leo I and Attila.” It represents the ‘Michelangelesque’ style of Raphael’s compositions evident immediately after the opening of the Sistine Chapel to the public in October 1513. (Shoemaker)