In a highly anticipated event, the Old Masters auction at Dorotheum on October 25, 2023, will showcase a rediscovered work on paper by Raffaello Sanzio, widely known as Raphael, a master of the High Renaissance. The late drawing, a significant contribution to art history, is expected to fetch a price exceeding a million euros.

The sketch, portraying a horse and rider, stands as one of the few known drawings by Raphael from his late period. What makes this study particularly noteworthy is its association with one of the most ambitious artistic endeavours of the 16th century: the decoration of the papal apartments in the Vatican. It serves as a preparatory study for a segment of the fresco depicting the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in the Hall of Constantine, part of the renowned ‘Raphael Rooms’ in the Vatican.

Executed in red chalk, the drawing offers fresh insights into Raphael’s working methods and is anticipated to attract significant attention and bids. Dorotheum’s Old Master specialist, Mark MacDonnell, emphasised the sketch’s exceptional qualities, stating, “It has an energy, a verve, a movement, and a quality which make this sheet an outstanding rarity.”

The sketch, one of only three surviving drawings by Raphael for this fresco, was previously held in private collections and was once misattributed to Rubens. Thorough comparative analysis of technique and composition has led to the correct recognition of this work as Raphael’s own.

While Raphael did not witness the completion of the fresco, passing away in 1520, this study exemplifies his enduring impact and legacy. The Old Masters auction is poised to attract art enthusiasts and collectors eager to acquire this rare piece of Renaissance art history.