Where Is Sistine Madonna? Museum Location

Q: Where can I see the Sistine Madonna?

It's at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, Germany. Raphael painted it around 1512-1513, commissioned by Pope Julius II for the monastery of San Sisto in Piacenza. Augustus III of Saxony purchased it in 1754.

Q: What are the two cherubs at the bottom?

The two putti (winged child angels) leaning on the bottom edge are the painting's most reproduced detail. They've appeared on everything from postcards to coffee mugs. Their bored, dreamy expressions contrast humorously with the solemn vision above them. They were likely inspired by street children Raphael observed.

Q: What does the painting depict?

The Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child appears on clouds flanked by Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara. Green curtains are pulled aside as if revealing a heavenly vision. Mary seems to step forward from heaven toward the viewer, carrying Christ down to earth.

Q: How big is the Sistine Madonna?

It measures 265 cm × 196 cm (104.3 × 77.2 inches). It's one of Raphael's last works, completed shortly before his death in 1520 at age 37. The work oil on canvas, unusual for Raphael, who typically used wood panels for major Renaissance commissions.

Q: Why is this painting culturally significant?

It's been called the most famous painting in Germany. Writers from Goethe to Dostoevsky praised it. Dostoevsky reportedly stood before it weeping. The image of the two cherubs became one of the most widely reproduced motifs in Western visual culture.

Raphael painted this oil on canvas work in 1512 reflects the Renaissance movement's influence on European art. As a Italian artist, Raphael brought specific cultural perspectives to their work. Religious painting carried deep significance in its historical context. Raphael interprets sacred subject matter with respect for tradition while bringing personal artistic vision. Such works served devotional purposes while also demonstrating artistic achievement. Today the work held at Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden. Viewing the original reveals details of brushwork and color that reproductions cannot capture. The museum context places the work alongside related pieces from the same tradition. Those drawn to this style can explore religious artwork for contemporary works in similar aesthetic traditions. Raphael (1483-1520) was a Italian artist working within the Renaissance tradition.

It's at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, Germany. Raphael painted it around 1512-1513, commissioned by Pope Julius II for the monastery of San Sisto in Piacenza. Augustus III of Saxony purchased it in 1754.

The two putti (winged child angels) leaning on the bottom edge are the painting's most reproduced detail. They've appeared on everything from postcards to coffee mugs. Their bored, dreamy expressions contrast humorously with the solemn vision above them. They were likely inspired by street children Raphael observed.

The Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child appears on clouds flanked by Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara. Green curtains are pulled aside as if revealing a heavenly vision. Mary seems to step forward from heaven toward the viewer, carrying Christ down to earth.

It measures 265 cm × 196 cm (104.3 × 77.2 inches). It's one of Raphael's last works, completed shortly before his death in 1520 at age 37. The work oil on canvas, unusual for Raphael, who typically used wood panels for major Renaissance commissions.

It's been called the most famous painting in Germany. Writers from Goethe to Dostoevsky praised it. Dostoevsky reportedly stood before it weeping. The image of the two cherubs became one of the most widely reproduced motifs in Western visual culture.

Sistine Madonna

Details

Where to See It

The Artist

More by Raphael

Miraculous Draught of Fishes

The Liberation of Saint Peter

Head of a Muse

The Parnassus

Also at Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden

Grand Canal: Looking from Palazzo Balbi

San Giacomo di Rialto

Portrait of Maurice of Saxony

The Procuress

Related Renaissance Works

The Adoration of the Magi

Salvator Mundi

The Birth of Venus

Pallas and the Centaur

Venus of Urbino

Venus with a Mirror

Laocoön

Mona Lisa

About Sistine Madonna

Own Art Like This