Raphael and the Fornarina

In this intimate painting, Ingres imagines Raphael in his studio with his lover Margherita Luti, known as "La Fornarina" (the baker's daughter). Raphael pauses from painting her portrait to embrace her. Behind them, Raphael's painting of La Fornarina sits on the easel. This work reflects the 19th-century Romantic fascination with the lives of great artists and the idea that passionate love fuels creative genius.

Exhibition Venue

Walters Art Museum

Baltimore, United States