Raphael, Madonna and Child with St. John (La Belle Jardinere), 1507-8, oil on panel, 122 x 80 in., Paris, Louvre.

Painted on a wooden panel with a white ground, this work is built up primarily of transparent glazes. This allows for depth in the color, delicate modeling of forms and rich colors such as the beautiful red in the Virgin's dress.

Raphael was one of the three most important artists of the High Renaissance in Italy (the other two being Leonardo and Michelangelo). Here he uses a pyramidal composition with the Virgin's head at the apex of a triangle. The Christ child is on the left and St. John, identified by his animal skin garment and the cross he holds, is on the right.