The Sistine Madonna

The Sistine Madonna, also called the Madonna di San Sisto, is an oil painting by the Italian artist Raphael. The painting was commissioned in 1512 by Pope Julius II for the church of San Sisto, Piacenza, and probably executed c. 1513–1514. The canvas was one of the last Madonnas painted by Raphael. Giorgio Vasari called it "a truly rare and extraordinary work". The painting was moved to Dresden in 1754 and is well known for its influence on the German and Russian art scenes. After World War II, it was relocated to Moscow for a decade before being returned to the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden.