Il tondo Riccardi del Vernaccia: un’opera riscoperta di Mariotto Albertinelli e il suo rapporto con Raffaello

In the commentary to the life of Mariotto Albertinelli in the 1851 edition of Vasari’s Vite, among the works not mentioned by the biographer is a tondo the curators accurately describe then in the palace of Francesco del Vernaccia in Borgo Pinti, Florence. This painting, representing a Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, has never been considered or traced by scholars and can now be recognized in a panel preserved in excellent condition in a private collection. Comprehensive documentation found in various archives has made it possible to reconstruct its entire collection history. The Tondo Riccardi del Vernaccia is not only a very high-quality addition to the artist’s catalogue, but also a fundamental piece of evidence for understanding Albertinelli’s development during the last years of the first decade of the sixteenth century. In particular, the fact that it is based on a design by Raphael sheds new light on the relationship between the two artists.