Madonna with Child

The drawing on this sheet is the only extant Madonna by the artist in which he rendered the motif in such a complete and accomplished manner. It can be related to Sebastiano del Piombo's Holy Family with St John the Baptist and a Donor. Michelangelo admired Sebastiano's coloration and made drafts for the paintings of his friend, who could not compete with the master with regard to compositional and heroic figural concepts.